The Grey
by Momma-Ran
Summary: Jack Frost can barely control his powers but he's tired of being alone. The wind takes him to a boy called Hiccup. Hiccup is the first person who can see and, hear and, touch Jack. The two intrigue each other but from the beginning its clear that Jack is dangerous. Just how dangerous remains to be seen.
1. Day One

"Take me to someone who will see me." Jack Frost whispers as he raises his arms. For a moment nothing happens, then the wind starts up and lifts the young man into the air. Jack rolls onto his back to look up at the full moon. "Please, please," The wish goes unfinished but there is a vague though strong feeling inside him.

Jack flips over again to see the land below him flying by in a dark blur of blue and silver. He grips his staff tighter, the only acknowledgment to his fear. As he travels farther north, Jack waves his staff. The snow that begins to fall from the sky brings a smile to his face. Jack doesn't feel the cold; ever since waking up on the frozen lake he hasn't felt it.

Suddenly the forest ends. There is a thin strip of sand and then rolling water. Blue eyes look ahead for land but there isn't any. Its the ocean. "Aren't we getting a little far from home?" Jack asks the wind. In response, it speeds up. Jack can only go along for the ride and he must admit that he's curious. Maybe the wind really is taking him to someone who will see him.

Even riding the wind, it takes a while to travel around the world. Jack yawns and closes his eyes. The wind won't let him fall. Comfortable, Jack falls asleep.

Sometime later Jack is woken by a sudden downpour. He glances down, glad to see some rocks jutting out of the violent ocean. The waves are so angry Jack doubts that even he would be able to freeze them. Now that he's closer to his destination, the youth with white hair is even more nervous than he was before crossing the ocean. A few minutes later a miserable island of rock with signs of life on it comes into view. As he passes overhead, Jack notices that the houses are built in a style he isn't familiar with.

The wind sets Jack down in the midst of an unfamiliar forest. Blue eyes look at the trees with their thick trunks that tower over him. He puts his hand to one and frost spreads over it the bark. If Jack so wished, he could keep his hand and freeze the tree all the way through; killing it. But he doesn't want that so he removes his hand. The ground beneath his bare feet is frostbitten. Nearby plants have a fragile frost covering them.

As Jack moves through the dark forest, frost spreads. His fingers curl tightly around the wooden staff. In his chest, Jack's heart beats wildly. Blue eyes look through the canopy for reassurance from the full moon. Though The Man In The Moon remains silent, just seeing him brings comfort to Jack.

Its a short walk back to the village he passed. Except when Jack starts in that direction, the wind blows him in the other direction. Hesitating for only a moment, Jack goes in the direction he's being pushed. He walks for a short time without coming across any signs of humans.

Stumbling upon the boy was less than an accident but no less surprising. Blue eyes lock onto movement and there's a boy around his age; well Jack's age when he died. In the light beneath the moon its difficult to tell colors but Jack suspects that the boy is has brown hair. He's short and skinny, wearing clothing made of furs. The boy doesn't have a hunter's gait and he doesn't appear to have any weapons but it looks like he's limping.

Jack creeps closer, feeling an odd need to keep out of sight. Hiding behind a bush just off the boy's path, Jack finds out the reason for the boy's limp. He's missing a third of his left leg. Fascinated, Jack watches the boy walk closer. It looks like a metal leg was made for him. Jack tilts his head and leans forward a little.

Jack's hand slips off his knee. When his hand touches the ground it instantly freezes. Ice spreads across the path in a flowering formation. "No!" Jack covers his mouth with his hand as he watches the boy lose his balance.

The boy falls hard on his butt. "Ow. What the -"

Jack watches in amazement as a piece of the night lands beside the boy. It folds its wings and sits up.

The boy looks less than concerned about the arrival of the beast. "Where have you been? Never mind, help me up Toothless." The boy extends a hand towards the towering piece of darkness.

There is a churring sound and the ice turns to slush. "A dragon!" Jack whispers to himself. Of course Jack has heard about dragons. Every culture since the beginning of humans has had them. But seeing one is much different than hearing about them.

"Could you maybe not breathe on the ice? You're not helping." The boy has an unamused, sarcastic voice. Without waiting for the black dragon, the boy tries to get to his feet by himself. And promptly face-plants into the slush.

The dragon churrs again – Jack realizes that this must be its laughter – before helping the boy to his feet. He huffs and looks directly at the spot Jack is hiding.

Jack feels uncomfortable. He's never been entirely sure if animals can see him or not though they always seem to know when he's there. Dragons aren't exactly just any stupid animal – they used to be gods. Needless to say, Jack holds his breath. His muscles tense in anticipation of making a quick getaway.

The brunette looks Jack's way as well. "What are you looking at, Toothless?"

_Please see me. _

"That's weird." The boy takes a few steps towards Jack, keeping his hand on the dragon's side. But he doesn't seem to see the boy with white hair. Instead, the brunette is looking past him at the trail Jack picked through the forest. "Are there any ice dragons around?"

Toothless shakes his head. His face is only a foot away from Jack's. Large light eyes bore into his. The dragon's breath smells like rotting fish.

Jack crinkles his nose in disgust. The smell almost makes him gag. With a subtle flick of his staff, the boy with blue eyes makes it start to snow.

"Old Man Winter must be wandering around." The brunette boy says uncertainly. He sounds worried, probably about the weird weather. Suddenly he swings a leg over Toothless's back and hauls himself onto the dragon. "Lets go home, buddy." They launch into the air.

Jack scowls. "I'm not old."

The dragon's flight falters for a moment and the boy looks down at the forest. Then they have broken through the canopy and are flying off into the night. Leaves flutter down and freeze when they touch the ground.

For a long moment Jack stays rooted to the spot, looking up at where they disappeared. "They heard me." He's sure of it. His voice startled the dragon and the boy looked down. "But they didn't see me." _The dragon might have. _Although Jack longs for human companionship, he feels that its a victory the dragon saw him.

Jack leaps to his feet and catches a current of wind. "Yes!" He laughs as the wind carries him away. This time Jack is taken in the direction of the village. A flurry of snow follows him. The snowette touches down on a rooftop. He looks down at the center of the village. It looks like he's in Viking territory.

There is his brunette boy with Toothless beside him. In front of them is the biggest man that Jack has ever seen – bigger even than North – with red hair and a busy beard that is tied at the ends. "Where have you been, Hiccup?"

The boy's shoulders droop. His eyes roll up towards the sky. "I was riding Toothless, dad." The boy – Hiccup – has a tone of voice like he's been through this a few too many times. "You know I'm not a kid anymore. And I kind of saved everyone."

Jack tilts his head curiously. He raises an eyebrow, wondering what that boy could have done to save everyone. And how can such a tiny boy come from such a huge man? From where he perches Jack can't see the expression on the man's face but he guesses that its not a pleasant one.

Hiccup's dad pinches the bridge of his nose. His sigh is audible from where Jack is hiding. "You know there's a curfew, Hiccup. What do you think would happen if I let everyone wander around in the middle of the night?"

Hiccup crosses his arms in front of his chest. "People would be wandering around in the dark." The brunette hurries on, "There is no enemy anymore, dad."

Its not the right thing to say. The man throws his arms wide open. "No more enemy?! There is always an enemy! When one dies, another rises to replace it!"

Hiccup is leaning away now, eyes a little wide.

The dragon's wings are extended. Jack wonders if Toothless wants to fight or take flight.

Before either can happen, the man dismisses them, "Now go to the house and stay there." Only after Hiccup and Toothless go to one of the houses does the redhead man turn to go into a larger building.

Jack turns his attention to Hiccup and Toothless but they are already in the dwelling. Lightly he leaps onto the roof of the house next to him and then the one after that. Jack dangles upside down to peek in a window with the light on. From his breath frost flowers on the glass, making it difficult to see. But he can see a little bit.

Hiccup shivers. The brunette falls onto his bed with his clothes still on. "Its like winter followed us home, huh Toothless?" He pulls a fur up to his shoulders while the dragon leaps onto a support beam running across the ceiling. In this lighting Jack can see that Toothless's eyes are a feline green-yellow and they are looking right at him. Smoke drifts upwards from black nostrils.

Jack summons the wind and lets it take him back to the forest. After some searching, the snowette finds a shallow hollow in the ground with dead leaves in it. Although he doesn't need to sleep, Jack lays down and closes his eyes. He keeps his staff locked in his protective grip.

_His name is Hiccup. He has brown hair. He's a dragon-riding Viking. He can't see me yet, but he can hear me. _

Jack opens his eyes once more to look up at The Man In The Moon. "Thank you." Then blue eyes close and Jack spends the rest of the night in a limbo of sleep and wakefulness.

* * *

**I made up the word "snowette" for Jack because of his white hair. Take it like you would "redhead" or "noirette" or "blond". The alternative was ****"whitette" or "blancette" but I like snowette better. Maybe for other people who non-snowy powers the other two would work. Deal with it.**

**This fic was inspired by the song _The Grey_ by _Icon For Hire. _There is a HiJack video that goes with it, but its not really related to my story. **


	2. Day Two

When the sun rises, Jack does as well. He sits up and rubs his eyes. Jack raises his arms high above his head to stretch out his back. When he relaxes, the snowette takes in his surroundings.

The forest around him is covered in a light layer of frost. It creates a stillness that is dramatically different from the life around him and makes things look sharper than they are. A stray sheep sniffs at the edge of the frost before bleating and backing away. _Cold brings only death. _

Jack pushes the thought away. He stands up and runs a hand through his white hair. Something brushes his hand, a frozen leaf. The young man looks up as though he can see the top of his head that way. Quickly he pulls the leaf out of his hair. He brings it to his face to examine it closer and Jack is glad that there aren't many hairs stuck to it. Any day started without a bald spot is a good day.

Jack walks back to the viking village. For a few minutes he watches from the outskirts. He pulls the frosted poncho tighter around his shoulders. A small dragon totters over to sniff at his bare feet and look up at Jack curiously. Tentatively, Jack gives it a two-fingered wave. The green and red dragon titters happily before moving along. _They can see me. _

After waiting and not seeing the young Viking he's looking for, Jack steps out into the open. He holds his staff close to his chest, taking comfort in the sturdy wood. Blue eyes observe the Vikings as they go about their daily life. Its so different from his own home, and yet not as much as he would have thought.

Jack has just caught sight of his young Viking friend when a girl walks through him. The blonde girl gives no indication that she knows he's there except a slight shiver.

The whimper that rises in his throat passes through his parted lips. His arms wrap themselves around his torso in an unconscious movement. Jack shivers, though not from cold. Although this very thing has been happening for hundreds of years, Jack hasn't become accustomed to it. Loneliness and sorrow stab at Jack's heart. He's been burying his emotions as deep as he can for as long as he can but in one stupid moment its ruined. Desperation for someone to see - no, to acknowledge- him mounts. Jack longs to touch human skin, he wants to participate in shared laughter and, have someone gaze into his eyes and know that its him they are looking at...

His mind tries to make sense of the meaning of his existence but his mind is racing in the same circles its always been. Jack doesn't know why he was born in the ice or why no one but a handful of higher people see him. Most can barely be called human and some definitely aren't. Jack throws back his head and screams, "Why can't they see me?!"

"Why are you yelling?" The voice is already as familiar as his own.

A sharp pain in Jack's chest that could have been hope has Jack looking in the direction of the voice. The boy with his bright green eyes is looking straight at Jack. Jack's heart pounds in his chest as what is definitely hope flares into life.

The boy raises an eyebrow when Jack doesn't respond. "Yeah, you with the white hair."

Jack can't help but look around to see if there is anyone else with white hair who may have been screaming at the top of their lungs. There isn't anyone with his hair color. He is the only one. His blue eyes fixate on the boy once more. "No one can see me." He murmurs to himself as though reassuring himself with the familiar. Now that there's a chance...Jack doesn't want to mess things up.

"Uh, I can see you." The boy is staring at Jack with an amused expression. "What's your name?"

Jack takes a deep breath. He steels himself just in case...Despite his misgivings, he gets closer to Hiccup. He stops a foot away and reaches out with a pale finger. Jack stops an inch away from the fur vest. "Jack Frost." Then he pokes the boy's chest. He doesn't phase through the boy like he does with everyone else. "Oh," Jack breathes. Then he does it again, just to prove to himself that he can.

Jack looks into green eyes and grins.

Hiccup hesitates for only a moment before grinning back.

"Hiccup, why are you just standing there?" The blonde girl who walked through him earlier does it again. She grabs the front of the brunette's shirt.

Jack stiffens, staring at them horrified. He feels like she's a threat to this fragile thing he just discovered. The wind picks up and the snow falls more heavily.

"Astrid, I, uh..." Hiccup locks eyes with Jack again. "I was just admiring the snow."

Jack gives Hiccup a half smile. Impulsively, he leaps into the air, letting it catch him. The boy with snow-white hair laughs as he lights down behind Hiccup. Lightly he breathes on the back of his neck.

"Ah...!" A full-body shiver goes through the brunette. "I-I mean, uh, isn't it beautiful?" He quickly slips away from the girl and Jack. "I think I hear Gobber calling me, Astrid," Green eyes flicker from the blonde girl to Jack and back again. "I'll see you later."

Jack sticks his tongue out at Astrid before following Hiccup to what looks like a forge. He knocks on the door before entering. There are weapons everywhere, particularly hanging from the ceiling. Jack notices that there are more weapons than tools. Carefully he side-steps an ax but brushes against a sword. Ice crawls up the blade.

"You look a little young to be Old Man Winter." Hiccup turns away from a fireplace to face Jack. Behind him the fire burns bright and hot. The brunette has a heavy blacksmith's apron on.

"You look a little young to be a blacksmith." Jack retorts. He touches a scythe and recoils when it too freezes. _Cold only brings destruction. _Frowning down at his feet, Jack clutches his staff to his chest. Then he sneaks a peek at Hiccup.

The brunette Viking is staring at the frozen weapons. "You can't control that, can you?" He peers at Jack with an equal amount of scrutiny as with the weapons. "What did you say your name is?"

Jack stares back at Hiccup, searching his bright green eyes. They remind him of the spring greens on Easter Island. "Jack Frost."

Hiccup mouths the name to himself. "Well that won't keep the gnomes and trolls away."

Jack furrows his brow. "What?" He shifts his weight from one foot to the other. It reminds him that Hiccup is handicapped. He certainly doesn't act like it though. Perhaps minorly inconvenienced would be a better term.

"Nothing." The brunette goes over to a bench and sits on the stool. He doesn't offer Jack a seat. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm...I'm looking for...something." Jack finishes lamely. He doesn't know Hiccup. Just because the wind brought him here, doesn't mean that the Viking can be trusted. But what can he do to me? _He can ignore you, Jack. _"The wind brought me here from across the ocean."

Hiccup turns his face away but not before Jack sees the smile on his face.

He approaches, his features twisted in anger. "Yes! The wind." Jack waves his staff and snow begins to fall inside the building.

Green eyes stare at the snow. A tan hand comes up to touch it. Hiccup smiles but this time it is one of wonder. "Okay. Its just, well, hard to believe." tan hands cup to form a bowl and snow begins to fill the dip. "This is amazing." Something about Hiccup's expression has Jack's stomach fluttering.

Jack puts his hands around Hiccup's. He focuses the snow to fall just in the brunette's scarred hands. Then he uses one finger to make little indentations in the snowball. Lowering his face, Jack is barely able to keep the smile off it. Gently the snowette breathes. The snowball flashes bright blue before returning to normal.

The little rabbit raises its head to peer at them with the dents that are its eyes. Its nose quivers and it lifts a paw to move. Jack can't keep the grin off his face. He loves playing with snow.

Before the little rabbit can do anything else, its falling to the floor. Upon impact it bursts into millions of small snowflakes.

Blue and green eyes meet. Hiccup's pupils are dilated wide with fear. "I-I didn't mean to..." Finally the green orbs tear themselves free of Jack's gaze. Immediately they drop to the floor. "I'm usually pretty good at fixing things but I don't think I can fix this."

Suddenly Jack sees how this must look. A creature that looks human but has the powers of someone who is a myth, who freezes what he touches, and gives life to snow. He feels a new type of loneliness. "Its not a big deal." Jack smiles down at the brunette. "It was just snow."

"B-but that was incredible!" Hiccup throws his arms up, narrowly avoiding smacking Jack in the face. There is something about his skin that looks off...

In a swift movement, Jack grabs both of Hiccup's wrists. He sees the frost spreading and Hiccup's tan skin turn blue. Jerking back like he was burnt, the snowette stares in a fascinated horror at what he's unintentionally done. "I-I'm sorry." This is it. He blew it. He's too dangerous to be around humans and that's why no one can see him. "I'm so sorry, Hiccup."

Jack backs up. As he touches things, frost creeps up them to the ceiling. He stares at his hands in horror, wishing he could cut them off. Wishing that cutting them off would stop his power. The snowette stumbles out the door and leaps into the air. The wind catches him, taking away. Jack has no specific destination in mind, just away from the boy with the green eyes.

In a steep-walled valley, Jack sets down beside a large pond. He was so close. So close to having everything. These stupid powers messed it all up! What if Hiccup loses the use of his hands? What if they have to amputate his hands?! Jack throws back his head and roars at the top of his lungs. His rage and sorrow are expelled with the primeval scream.

When Jack finally runs out of air he collapses onto his knees. Blue eyes stare dully at the ground, noticing the frost that swirls out from around him. The frost creeps upon a small yellow flower. Within seconds the flower is perfectly preserved. There is no escaping his deadly touch."Am I just not allowed to be happy for more than two minutes?"

The past day has been full of highs and lows that Jack hasn't experienced for at least a hundred years. He shifts so that his knees are drawn to his chest. He sets his staff down and rests his chin on his folded arms. The snowette gazes out across the little pond, watching shadows flicker beneath its surface. It suddenly dawns on him that those are fish. And someone with a fish-eating dragon would probably come to this spot instead of trying to fish out of the ocean.

Jack whips around, looking for any signs of a dragon. There are a few charred spots and uprooted saplings. On the walls are old claw marks. He moves to get closer. Pain shoots up the pale boy's foot and he lets out a yelp. Balancing with his staff, Jack stands on one foot, holding the other one up for inspection. Embedded in his arch is a black dragon scale.

With his thumb and index finger, Jack gets a good grip on the scale. He gives a hard tug and it comes out. Immediately his foot starts bleeding. Blue eyes focus not on the blood, but on the scale. Since he didn't get the best look at Toothless's scales, Jack isn't positive that this one belongs to the black dragon. But he's willing to bet that it is.

Jack tucks the frozen scale into his vest pocket. He considers leaving the valley but decides to stay. Hiccup is probably too busy dealing with his hands to go anywhere. The boy with snow-white hair feels a jab of worry for the brunette. "I'm so selfish."

The snowette makes no other moves to explore the valley. He stays where his frost has already established itself. Although Jack normally loves to explore and watch the fronds of frost bloom, he has no inclination to today. Today his powers are a curse because he hurt someone. Blue eyes look up at the cloudy sky. "Please, please tell me why I'm like this. I need to know. What's my purpose?"

When it begins to snow, Jack turns his face away from the sky. The winter boy remains in the same curled position long after his limbs get stiff. Through intense concentration, Jack has managed to bury his feelings – or at least deny them – enough that they don't bother him. As long as he stays away from people and just does his job of bringing winter, everything will be okay.

Jack doesn't notice the dragon until Toothless is setting down. The black dragon immediately sets the ground on fire. The frozen ground turns into a clay-like substance. Green-yellow eyes observe Jack with interest.

Jack is on his feet in an instant, unsure if he should stay or go.

Hiccup dismounts the dragon. "Do you always run away from your problems, little baby boo Jack?" The boy looks at him with an unamused expression.

Toothless goes to a spot that Jack's frost hasn't reached and sets that on fire too. Then he settles in coals, watching the two boys.

Jack can't tell if Hiccup is angry or not. He's spent too much time alone to be able to accurately read people. Regardless, just seeing the dragon-rider makes Jack's heart feel like its going to burst from his chest. Then he notices the gloves that go all the up to Hiccup's elbows. "I'm winter, I travel a lot." He hesitates before asking, "Are you okay?"

"Oh I'm fine." Hiccup shrugs. "I just had Toothless warm my hands up." The brunette raises his gloved hands and wiggles all his fingers.

Jack lets out an audible sigh of relief. "I'm glad you're okay." Then he looks away. Saying things like that is a little awkward.

"Are you?" Hiccup makes a move like he's going to advance, "You kind of just left me there."

The snowette can't seem to look into Hiccup's bright green eyes. Jack is sure that the brunette is angry. "I didn't want to make things worse."

This time Hiccup does advance. After a few steps though, he slips on the ice.

Jack reacts without thinking, flitting to Hiccup's side and catching him before he cracks his skull open on the ice. Once he's caught the brunette, Jack stills. Blue eyes watch the ice creep up Hiccup's gloves. "I-I'm sorry." In spite of being truly horrified by himself, Jack is also amazed at the fact he can touch Hiccup. Jack has no memory of touching living skin except his own.

"Its okay." Hiccup puts his gloved hands on Jack's shoulders. "I can't even feel it." The brunette pushes down hard on Jack's shoulders, trying to get enough support to stand. When he finally does get to his feet, the brunette doesn't let go.

"I hope you aren't saying that to spare my feelings." He tries to smile but its more of a grimace.

"I don't like you that much." Hiccup's smile softens what would otherwise be a painful blow; though Jack wouldn't blame the brunette for not liking him at all. "Are you responsible for all of the snow or does some of it happen by itself?"

Jack notices he's still holding Hiccup and hesitantly lets go. "Its all me. But the wind takes it other places." He grins, "I can't be everywhere at once."

Hiccup seems to realize that he's still touching the snowette and lowers his arms to his sides. "I always wondered about that. Why do you call yourself Jack Frost? We know you by Old Man Winter and you definitely aren't old."

Jack looks up at the sky. The snow is drifting down lazily. Clouds block out the sun. "That's the name The Man In The Moon gave me. Its the only thing he's ever told me." He wishes he could show Hiccup or talk to The Man In The Moon about this miracle boy he's found. "I don't know who had this job before me but I've only been doing it for a little over a hundred years."

"A hundred years? You're over a hundred years old?" Hiccup's eyebrow raises in question.

Jack grins again. "Yup. I haven't aged a day since I was born."

Hiccup's expression is one of disbelief. "You were born a seventeen-year-old?"

"Um...Probably not." Jack runs a hand through his white hair. "I don't have any memories before waking up in the lake." The brunette's look disbelief seems to deepen with every word Jack says, so the snowette stops talking. He glances beyond Hiccup to where Toothless lays seemingly asleep before looking at the Viking again.

After a long silence between them, Hiccup brings up the question that Jack has been wondering; "Why am I the only one who sees you?" The brunette touches Jack's shoulder again. "Astrid walked right through you."

"I don't know. But you're the first human to see me." He takes Hiccup's hand in his and smiles at the novelty of touching someone. Its not flesh but the gloved hand belongs to someone who can have an intelligent conversation with Jack. Someone who he can talk to and laugh with and cry with. Not that he is ever going to cry; but just having someone that he could do that with.

"You mean you've been all alone for over a hundred years?" Hiccup's eyes take on a faraway look.

Jack wonders what the shorter boy is thinking about. "The other spirits have been there but, ah, they don't like me very much."

Hiccup smirks. "Did you try to freeze them?"

Jack frowns at the brunette. Hurting someone isn't funny. "No. Its probably because I'm so young. I mean, Bunny is over a thousand..."

Hiccup holds up his hands. "Wait, are you immortal?"

In response Jack takes out the frozen dragon scale. Seeing the dragon and the scale, Jack guesses that it does belong to Toothless.

"Where did you get that?" Hiccup leans closer. "Its chipped, it must have come off Toothless when I shot him out of the sky."

The winter boy doesn't smile as he drags the broken scale across his wrist. Even if it hadn't been chipped the edges are sharp enough to cut through skin like butter. In sharp contrast to his pale white skin, the blood that oozes out is dark red, almost black. He holds his arm out, letting the blood fall onto the piling snow. The wound is deep and bleeds profusely – because he purposely cut an artery.

"What are you doing?! We have to put pressure on the wound," Hiccup reaches for Jack. His leg slips on the ice.

Both boys topple over with Jack on the bottom. He slides his free arm around Hiccup's thin waist and holds him close. "Wait, wait. Just watch. Trust me."

Hiccup's green eyes search Jack's blue ones. Then he looks at the frost boy's wrist.

Jack's blood has stopped flowing. The blood outside his body has frozen solid like a cluster of precious gems. A good shake of his wrist dislodges the blood from white skin. Tiny ice stitches form over the wound, knitting skin together. When clear ice completely replaces damaged skin it flashes blue. All that is left is Jack's skin looking just like it had before he cut it open.

"You...You're crazy." With two fingertips Hiccup touches the living flesh that was a moment ago ice.

For the first time in his life, Jack gets goosebumps.

The brunette sits up, bringing Jack's wrist with him to examine it better. "How did you know that would work?"

"I've been hurt before." Jack replies vaguely. He flashes a smile at the Viking boy. "It works on limbs and organs too."

"Limbs and organs, eh?" Hiccup blinks and green eyes study Jack's face. "Limbs and organs?!"

Suddenly Jack remembers that the boy is missing some of his leg. "It doesn't work on anyone but me. If I tried it on you, it would probably kill you."

Hiccup runs his thumb over the smooth skin of Jack's wrist. "That's really convenient."

"No, its not really." Jack sighs. "I would rather have bled to death, to be honest. I'm going to spend the rest of my life alone. Because even if people suddenly start seeing me, they are all going to die."

"Well aren't you Mr. sunshine and daisies?" Hiccup smiles despite the depressing conversation.

"Its Mr. snowballs and fun times, thank you very much." Jack replies with a grin.

Hiccup throws back his head and laughs. "I must have missed the snowballs or the fun times."

"We will have plenty of both." Jack promises. "They are kind of my specialty."

Hiccup smiles. "I think I'm stuck. Your ice makes it hard to use my leg." To illustrate he tries to stand. Only to have his left leg slip. The brunette falls back onto Jack.

The boy with white hair lets out an oof. "Okay. I think you need to roll off me. That way," Jack points to his left, "Since the pond is right there."

"Thanks so much for your navigational skills." Hiccup rolls his eyes. He rocks from side to side for a moment before swinging his leg up and over Jack's body. The brunette rolls off Jack and onto his side in the snow. "Do you think we could have a day without snow, maybe?"

"Probably not. Even if I leave, the wind likes to take it north more than it does south." Jack sits up. A pinprick of worry has him wondering if Hiccup wants him gone.

Hiccup uses the snowette as a support to stand. Green orbs look down at his pants. "I think having clothes on helps stop from freezing off my extremities." The Viking flashes Jack a wide grin.

Jack wasn't even thinking about that but now that he is, the snowette wonders what would happen with prolonged skin-to-skin contact. Even the brief touch had turned Hiccup's skin blue with cold. "That's always a bonus." He stands and retrieves his staff.

"How long are you staying?" Hiccup turns to face Toothless.

Jack has a strong suspicion that the sleeping dragon is actually watching them. "Until you tell me to leave."

* * *

** I went with Jack being 17 in this (instead of his possible alternate age of 14). Partially because I don't feel as weird writing it and partially because I can't imagine Hiccup being older than Jack (although technically his movie came out first).**

Also, Jack isn't thinking about sex when he's thinking about _prolonged skin-to-skin contact_ (yet). So far its innocent. xD


	3. Day Fourteen

"I never thought it was possible, but I think its snowing three times as much as usual." Hiccup stares out the forge window with his gloved hands on his hips. There isn't much to see other than more snow and the tops of some buildings. The only reason there is a view outside the window is because of the fire inside melting the immediate snow. "Is it because you are here?"

"Probably but its not on purpose." Jack sits as far away from the fireplace as he can to keep the fire alive. He's been on the island of Berk for two weeks now. The snow has reached record highs and it has the people of Berk talking among themselves. They are worried that they aren't appeasing their gods and there has been talking about sacrificing sheep.

Hiccup shakes his head. He closes the window but the temperature stays about the same since Jack is in the room. The brunette claps his hands together. "Alright, Toothless, lets take a look at your tail."

The Night Fury carefully approaches Hiccup. There isn't a lot of room in the forge for such a large dragon. He gives Hiccup a wide, mischievous grin before licking the Viking from his chest to his hair.

Laughter bubbles up inside Jack. He laughs until his sides hurts.

"Ohewugh." Hiccup throws his hands up and shakes himself off. It doesn't do much to remove the dragon saliva. "Toothless! That is so unnecessary."

Toothless gives the equivalent to a dragon laugh. His head bobs up and down, his ear-plates twitching.

The brunette turns to Jack and glares at him. "Yes. Haha. Very funny you two." Then the boy barrels into Jack.

The air whooshes out of the snowette. He pushes back against Hiccup and they go falling the other way. Jack's hand slips on the ice and they bump foreheads. "Gross." Referring to the dragon spit now on his clothes. But he has a wide grin on his face.

Hiccup rolls them to the side so that he's on top again.

Jack puts both feet between him and the brunette then kicks as hard as he can.

Hiccup goes flying over Jack's head. He lands with a hard thump. The air exits his lungs all at once. "I...I just wanted to...cover you in dragon...spit."

Jack rolls onto his stomach to look at the brunette. Lightly he pokes Hiccup's nose. "I've always wanted to be covered in dragon spit." He watches the tip of Hiccup's nose turn a light blue color.

Green eyes roll to look up at him. "That's me; a-always ready to please." Hiccup puts his hands to his face and breathes into them. When he takes his hands away the freckled skin on his nose is the proper color. "Maybe we should get you some gloves."

"They would freeze to my skin." Jack shakes his head. "Why do you think I walk around barefoot all the time?" Suddenly self-conscious, he rubs his feet together. As far as feet go, his are rather nice to look at.

Bright green eyes bore into Jack's equally stunning blue ones. "Limbs?"

"Limbs." Jack gives a slight nod of his head. Its a terrible memory and one that the snowette doesn't care to relive.

An upside down smirk forms on Hiccup's face. "Then why don't you walk around naked?"

A strange, wild urge bubbles up inside him. He ignores it. "The rest of my clothes don't stick to me. They just kind of..." He gestures to the frost pattern on his brown poncho. The snowette stands then holds out a hand.

Hiccup accepts it. "Very convenient." He stands and brushes off invisible dust. "Alright, Toothless. We'll do this for real this time but I don't want any tongue action."

Jack swears that the smirk on his face is mirrored by the Night Fury. He sits back in his corner, noticing how far the ice has spread. Blue eyes watch as Hiccup examines the prosthetic on Toothless's tail.

Hiccup keeps up a steady chatter while he works. He talks about nothing really, just musings out loud about inventions Jack doesn't know anything about it. The Viking moves around the forge for various tools. It doesn't take very long for Hiccup to stand and pat Toothless's tail. Finally he stands and pats the dragon's tail. "Alright, Toothless. It looks like it will stay for a while."

The brunette stretches his arms above his head. He takes the apron off and hangs it on a sturdy peg. "Its a good thing Gobber doesn't work here anymore." Hiccup glances at Jack before pulling his long gloves up. He strokes Toothless's scaly head. "I'm going to go eat."

Jack dips his head. He waves two fingers at Hiccup. "And I'll be here."

Hiccup nods. He opens the door, hesitates, and leaves with Toothless close on his heels. The door closes behind them.

Jack gets up from his corner. He approaches the fireplace. His frost battles the fire and loses, though the fire does shine a little less bright. Jack puts his hands on the stone fireplace. Icicles grow from the top of the fireplace and melt as the flames lick them. Ice covers the walls and thickens. Cold alone won't kill a fire. Only water or suffocation can do that. Jack forms layer after layer of ice surrounding the fire.

As fast as he forms it, the fire starts melting it. Its a forger's fire, meant to be hot. The more ice the fire melts the more it drowns itself. As it dies, the fire hisses its annoyance. Jack stands back, watching the light fade until he's left in the dark. _Its so easy to snuff out the light. _

"That isn't my job." Jack says out loud. He picks up his staff, not recalling putting it down. The dark observations make Jack upset. Thoughts like those never used to enter his mind. He runs a hand through his white hair and retreats to his spot in the corner.

He loves being with Hiccup and Toothless. The boy and the dragon complement each other nicely. They have the same dry sense of humor. Over the past two weeks, Jack and Hiccup have exchanged stories. Jack hasn't had much to tell since his entire life he has been alone. That is, except for a few encounters with the other spirits but those are as far between as they are few.

Jack looks towards the door. Hiccup doesn't want him to go to the dining hall because the superstitious Vikings wouldn't take too kindly to frost forming inside their warm lodge. This also means that Jack isn't allowed in any of the buildings – not that Hiccup could stop him but its something he complies with out of respect – except the abandoned forge. He looks around but can't see much of anything in the gloom. "This is so boring."

The snowette leaves through the window. He walks around, kicking up snow. The dining hall is close. Delicious smells emit from it; fish and, sheep and, fresh vegetables and, bread. One of the perks of being immortal means that you don't have to eat. That doesn't mean that Jack doesn't enjoy a good lamb chop every once in a while. He wanders a little closer. From inside drifts hearty laughter. More than the food, the laughter makes Jack ache to be with the villagers.

The snowette leans against the building. There aren't any windows for this building so he can't even look in.

"Old Man Winter must be upset." A male voice from inside says. Jack doesn't recognize it.

_You could say that. _Jack puts his ear to the wood to hear better.

"I don't think he's upset, Snotlout." That is Hiccup's voice! "I think he's happy."

"Happy?" Jack cringes at the sound of Astrid's voice. "Hiccup, have you seen the snow piling up? There's so much we are probably going to be buried alive. Does that sound like someone who is happy to you?"

Jack doesn't like the blonde Viking girl. She is condescending and full of aggression. He's seen Hiccup holding her hand on occasion and it doesn't sit well with the snowette.

"I just think there's more to it, Astrid." Hiccup's voice sounds a tiny bit irritated and unsure. "Maybe...maybe he can't even control it."

Silence. Jack can imagine the other young Vikings exchanging looks with each other. He's seen their faces before and sometimes ideas proposed by Hiccup aren't taken well.

The voice of the other female Viking, Ruffnut, reaches him. "That's stupid."

"Toothless and I have to go. I have to fix his tail."

Jack doesn't wait to see if Hiccup is going to leave right away; he takes off at a fast run. He's going so fast that he nearly runs into the side of the forge. Quickly he slips in through the window and waves his staff at the snow. His tracks disappear. Satisfied, Jack closes the window and goes to the fireplace. The ice has thickened since he's been gone. There will be no reviving the fire without a dragon's flame.

Not five minutes later, Hiccup opens the door. "'What happened to the fire?"

Jack swallows his nervousness. He can't think of an excuse. The bad weather is his fault. Something he was born to and something that he loses what little control he has over it when he feels any strong emotion.

"Jack?" Hiccup asks hesitantly.

It occurs to the snowette that Hiccup can't see in the dark. "I'm here." He nearly trips over a bucket on his way to the brunette. "The fire went out." Jack reaches out a hand and feels the fabric of Hiccup's green shirt.

Hiccup's fingers curl around Jack's biceps. "I noticed." The brunette youth shivers.

It reminds Jack of the cold. Instinctively he pulls Hiccup closer.

Neither moves – aside from Hiccup's shivering - for a few moments that are simultaneously the shortest and longest Jack has ever experienced. "Jack, y-you're not exactly w-w-warm." Hiccup mumbles into his shirt.

Immediately Jack jerks back, releasing his hold on Hiccup and breaking the grip the brunette has on him. "I'm sorry. I-I can only keep you cold." Piercing loneliness and a hot self-hatred churn inside the snowette. He wraps his arms around his own torso.

Silence stretches between them. Hiccup moves past Jack with Toothless beside him. They go to the fireplace. The brunette doesn't say anything about the thick ice that smothered the fire.

One moment its dark in the forge, the next there is a bright light. Jack watches Toothless breath fire two more times before the ice melts completely. What's left is a pile of wet ash and soggy wood. The next breath of flame is longer, brighter, hotter. Only burnt stone remains.

Hiccup puts some wood in the fireplace for Toothless to light. Soon the forge is bright with flickering warmth.

Jack stands in his corner. Blue eyes have been watching the pair but now he has to know how he looks. The snowette turns to face the wall. Stretching four feet above his head to the ceiling is his signature curling frost. It stretches to the left and the right. This is what happens everywhere he goes, to one degree or another.

Arms wrap around his waist. He sees Hiccup's green gloves that are a lighter shade of green than his shirt. Jack doesn't want to think about what would happen to Hiccup if he didn't have those gloves on. "Cheer up, Frosty, things could be worse."

"Things are going to get a lot worse if you call me that again." Jack promises without a trace of humor in his voice. Its supposed to be funny. But its not.

Behind him, Hiccup chuckles. "You know, I still haven't seen any of this snowballs and fun times."

Jack is quiet for a few moments. He likes to bring snow days to children. They have so much fun when there is a day they don't have to work or play. But even Jack has had his bad days, and many people have suffered for it. "Do you think your friends will see me?"

Hiccup doesn't reply immediately. Finally he sighs. "I don't think so."

Jack nods acknowledgment. He turns around to face the brunette. They are so close and somehow its much more intimate than anything Jack has experienced.

The same time he notices it, Hiccup seems to notice it as well. He lets go, looking away. His freckled cheeks are flushed with what Jack thinks is cold. That isn't the worst part though. Hiccup's fur vest is stiff with frost and he has icicles hanging from his shaggy brown hair. "Did you have something in mind?"

Jack pushes his concerns for Hiccup to the back of his mind. The Viking probably wouldn't appreciate it and is used to trampling through snow. Apparently the wind is very fond of taking Jack's storms to Berk. "Lets go have some fun with them." He grins and skips over to the door. "Come on then,"

Hiccup stares at the snowette for a long few seconds. His face turns crimson. The shorter youth's breath is a puff of white. The resulting smile is one that Jack hasn't seen before. "This should be good."

The two boys go outside while Toothless snoozes by the fire. Jack lets the wind pick him up. He laughs as he does a flip and lands in the snow. Laughter coming from the dining hall makes green and blue eyes look in that direction.

Struggling through the high snow are five adolescent Vikings. They are loosely assembled but its clear that Astrid is their leader.

Jack catches Hiccup's eye. He scoops up a snowball and breathes on it. The snow flashes blue then returns to normal. "Get ready." His laughter rings out, heard only by one. Then he throws the snowball.

It explodes in Astrid's face. The blonde looks so surprised that Jack has to laugh again.

He scoops up another snowball, breathes on it, and hands it to Hiccup.

Hiccup is looking worried as he accepts the snowy gift. "Does it look like I need her to be mad at me?"

"Look again, Hiccup." Jack replies.

They look at Astrid. The girl has a smile on her face and is laughing. She looks around for who threw the snowball and spots Hiccup with one in his hand. Quickly she bends over to scoop up one of her own. She launches it through the air and it breaks on Hiccup's head.

At the same time Jack throws another enchanted snowball – at Hiccup.

The brunette reacts the same way Astrid did. He laughs. He shakes his head to rid his hair of the snow. Then he throws his snowball.

It soars through the air and hits one of the twins.

Jack hits the other one with one of his own. He flies high, feeling free and lighthearted. Joy bubbles inside him.

The twins start throwing snowballs at the other teens then at each other. Then Tuffnut tackles his sister Ruffnut and the wrestle in the snow.

Snotlout gets hit in the arm with a snowball from Astrid. "Oh, it is on, Astrid." He scoops one up and throws it at Astrid.

Instead of hitting Astrid, it soars over her head and collides with Fishlegs. Fishlegs lets out a yell, throwing his pudgy arms in the air and diving into a pile of snow. "Attack of the snow dragons!"

Hiccup and Astrid exchange looks. Then Hiccup's green eyes lock onto Jack's blue ones. They both grin with excitement. Jack lands beside Hiccup. Together they start making a replica of Toothless.

Astrid starts making a dragon like hers.

Snotlout starts to make his large dragon, but soon switches to a Terrible Terror.

Jack makes sure to stay close to Hiccup to make it look like the brunette is doing all of the work. Their shoulders brush. Then their hands. A little while later they knock heads on accident. Jack smiles at Hiccup. He opens his mouth to say something when someone else cuts him off,

"Wow, Hiccup. That really looks like Toothless." Fishlegs is standing twirling his index fingers and smiling.

Jack hadn't even noticed the huge Viking boy approaching. He feels a flash of irritation then frowns at the uncalled for emotion.

Hiccup stands and pops his spine. "Well he's only my best friend. I should know what he looks like by now." The brunette brushes off the frost from his clothing and out of his hair. "Aren't you going to do Meatlug?"

"Oh, I would but Meatlug likes to attack any replicas of herself." Fishlegs smiles. Its a shy smile for someone so massive. "I tried to pai-"

"What are you kids doing out here?" Everyone – Jack included – jumps at the angry voice of Stoick. Hiccup's father stands with his hands on his hips, frowning at each of them. "Look at you, all covered in snow. Are you trying to get sick?" When none of the young Vikings answers, Stoick shakes his head. "Get home, all of you." His gaze is on Hiccup the longest.

Muttering goodbyes, the group splits up. Hiccup and the winter boy start to go back to the forge.

"I said to go home, Hiccup." The Chief's voice rings out from behind them.

Hiccup faces his father. "I have to get Toothless, dad."

"Toothless will find you if he needs you." Stoick replies. His tone allows for no disagreement. Hiccup may be the son of the Chief but he can't get away with disobeying him.

With one last glance at the forge, Hiccup sighs. The brunette changes direction. With Stoick there, the dragon-rider doesn't say anything to his snowette companion.

Jack doesn't feel like being alone so he follows the brunette. "Toothless will be fine. He knows how to find you." He tries to console his friend.

A discreet nod is the only response that Hiccup gives. He doesn't stop Jack from following him into his house. "Welcome to my humble abode." Hiccup makes a sweeping gesture with his hand.

Blue eyes look around. Its a small, cluttered home. The fire roars brightly and so do half a dozen lamps. Jack feels their warmth and hopes it will be enough to keep out his frost. He notices stairs going to the second floor and a lot of sketches of Night Furies. Weapons hang from the wooden walls, collecting dust now that there is no one to fight. Jack takes a step forward and feels a new texture. A bearskin rests on the floor, as big as Toothless but a warm cinnamon color.

"I like it." Jack smiles.

"Come on." Hiccup leads the way to the stairs. "Do you need to sleep?"

The snowette walks up the stairs, noting with some concern that he's leaving frost flora in his wake. "I can if I want to, but I don't have to." Upstairs its even warmer than downstairs. There are several small fireplaces and more lamps. Combined with the fact that heat rises, its extra toasty. Jack takes off his poncho. He may not feel the cold but he does get hot.

Hiccup's room is a decent size for one short, skinny Viking boy. Bookshelves full from top to bottom line one wall. Another wall has a very small assortment of weapons and some things that Jack suspects Hiccup has made himself. A jar of pencils rests on a shelf and a few drawings of dragons are nailed just below it. The third wall has a large fireplace and a white wolf skin hanging. A large bed covered in luxurious furs takes up most of the space on the fourth wall. On the floor are a few threadbare rugs with sunburst and dragon patterns.

Hiccup is shrugging out of his fur vest and takes off his one boot. Green eyes glance at Jack. "You aren't freezing everything."

"Its hot in here." Jack replies. He's always found that he doesn't care much for the heat. Towards the southern half of the world things tend to get warmer. In the exact middle between the north and the south hemispheres is a place of intense heat that Jack very rarely visits. The wind rarely takes the snow there either.

"Do your powers still work?" Hiccup sits on the edge of his bed and takes off his prosthetic leg.

In response, Jack causes a snowflake to materialize. He sends it floating Hiccup's way then changes its direction to the fireplace. The snowflake melts instantly into a few droplets of water on the floor.

"Come here. I want to try something." The brunette uses his teeth to pull the gloves off.

Jack approaches warily. He has a good idea of what the Viking is thinking and he isn't sure its a good idea.

Green eyes roll up towards the ceiling. "Quit being a baby, Jack."

Hiccup can't get up without his prosthetic so if Jack really wanted he could just leave. The snowette stops beside Hiccup. He curls his toes and clutches his staff with one hand.

A scarred hand reaches out and takes the staff from Jack. Carefully, Hiccup sets it on the end of the bed. He doesn't comment on Jack's apparent dependence on the curled wooden staff.

Jack's heart drums in his chest. To distract himself he asks Hiccup something he's been wondering for a while, "Where did you get those scars on your hands?"

"I was Gobber's apprentice. Working a forge can be hazardous to smooth skin." The next time Hiccup reaches out its for Jack's hand. The contrast in skin temperature makes them both shiver. Jack's skin is like ice and Hiccup's is warm like fire. "I know you're a winter spirit but I can't believe how cold you are."

"I know you're a mortal but I can't believe how warm you are." Jack rolls his eyes. He takes Hiccup's hand in both of his and examines it. Hiccup's hands are tanned from the sun and freckled. In his travels, the snowette has seen many injured people so he knows what caused each of the healed wounds. He has burn scars, a bite mark from some animal, and the tell-tale scars from metal. The little finger on Hiccup's right hand is a little crooked, like he broke it and it healed strange. And there are callouses from hard work.

In comparison, Jack's hands are as smooth and unmarred as a newborns. There isn't even any birthmarks or freckles on his pale skin. Its like the snowette hasn't lived at all. Jack weaves their fingers together. Its a good fit.

Hiccup is watching him with solemn green eyes. He's leaning back, supporting his weight with one hand, looking very relaxed like this happens all the time. A small smile graces his freckled face. "Now we know."

Jack smiles back. "Now we know."

* * *

**If anyone has any songs that pop into their heads when they read this...let me know. I'm thinking about making an album. And I love listening to new songs so...PM me or leave it in a review.**

**By the way, I love reviews. More than favorites or follows. And even though I don't normally reply, I really love getting them. **


	4. Day Fifteen

A robust woman butchers a sheep. The flock has significantly decreased in numbers due to an unexpected cold front. This is one of the last ones. "Jokul Frosti must be angry with us." She says to a blond man standing next to her.

He nods his head in agreement, stroking his braided beard. "Maybe its the dragons." He peers suspiciously at Toothless.

To his credit, Toothless doesn't bare his fangs. Instead he looks at Jack, who is the cause of the problem.

"Give him a break, Toothless. You know he can't help it." Hiccup scolds the dragon.

He isn't quite quiet enough because the blond man says to the woman, "Stoick's son sure is an odd one. He's unnatural. He should have been left to the wolves."

Jack doesn't like people talking about him as though he's not there – not that they know he is there – but its different when they are talking about someone he cares about. Jabbing his staff into the snow causes ice to slick over it. It crawls up the man's boots. He screams. The wind picks up so its difficult to tell if its actually snowing or just being blown around.

"Jack!" Hiccup hisses. The brunette can't touch him without looking even more insane. His jaw works as he grinds his teeth together. Hiccup turns to Toothless, "And you, don't laugh! It isn't funny!"

Jack is still angry. These people owe more to Hiccup than they can imagine. They owe him their lives, the lives of their children, their homes. For once the village hasn't been burnt down. And they think he should have been killed as an infant? There isn't anything wrong with Hiccup. They are the ones with the problem!Jack buries the end of his staff in the snow, striking the ground beneath.

The sheep carcass freezes. The woman screams when the blood on her hands freezes as well. Frantically she tries to scrape off the frozen blood but it remains stuck to her skin. The only way to get it off is to thaw it and Jack has no intentions of letting her near enough to a fire to melt his ice.

Suddenly Jack is jerked backwards. His poncho is strangling him. He allows Hiccup to lead him away to a secluded spot between two buildings. When Hiccup releases him, the snowette gasps for breath.

"What are you doing?!" The freckled face is inches from his. "Its one thing to do this one accident," Hiccup gestures to the snow. "Its another to hurt people on purpose." Those green eyes are blazing with anger.

Jack grabs Hiccup's arm. "Did you hear what they said about you?!" His grip tightens when Hiccup tries to pull away. "They said you should have been killed! Like you don't matter! Like they don't owe you their lives!" Jack cups Hiccup's face with both his hands. He's desperate for Hiccup to accept him and forgive him. "You do matter! You matter so much."

"Let go, J-Jack." Hiccup's cheeks are past turning blue, there is frost forming on them and its spreading down his neck. His brown hair is white with it. The Viking is trembling.

Jack drops his hands to his sides. He curses himself for his carelessness. _Freezing him is a bit like leaving him to the wolves. _"How can they treat you like you're a mistake?"

"I-It doesn't m-m-matter. They a-are j-just s-s-scared because of the w-weather and I'm m-more tangible than y-y-you are."

Jack looks away. He shakes his head and rubs at his eyes. His heart aches.

Realizing what he said, Hiccup puts his hands on Jack's face to make the snowette look at him. "I-I didn't mean t-t-that." Those green orbs are still angry but its lessened.

"No. You're right. They can't see me. They can't hear me. They can't touch me. I might as well not exist." Jack tries to look away but even trembling from cold, Hiccup is strong. "All of that stuff, they can do that with you. So its only logical they blame you for the things I do."

"N-no i-it i-isn't." The brunette shakes his head but its difficult to tell if its on purpose or just because he's shivering so violently.

"Come on, lets get you inside before..." Jack takes Hiccup's gloved hand and pulls him towards his house. If they can get to the fire, Hiccup should be okay.

"They a-are going t-t-to see us." Despite his protest, the brunette doesn't let go of Jack's hand.

"You mean they'll see you." Jack looks around. "Where's Toothless?" It would be easier and less strange to those walking if the dragon was with them.

Hiccup opens his mouth and makes a pathetic noise. He rubs his hands together and holds them close to his face. Then he breathes into them. When he's a little warmer, Hiccup does a perfect imitation of Toothless's roar.

For a few seconds all they can hear is the howling of the wind. Then a returning roar can be heard. Toothless leaps into view. When he skids to a stop, he throws up snow onto both Jack and Hiccup. He sniffs at his rider, concerned for the human.

"Toothless, help me get him home." Jack doesn't have to beg. The snowette helps Hiccup onto the saddle.

As soon as Hiccup's metal foot clicks into place, they take off.

Jack soon loses sight of them. He only hopes that Toothless is actually taking Hiccup home. The brunette needs to be near fire. "You're so stupid, Jack." The snowette races to the house Hiccup shares with his father. It would be best if Stoick is gone. When he arrives, Jack opens the door a few inches. No one is in sight. He opens it more before slipping inside and closing it.

Just as he is about to ascend the stairs, Stoick comes down them. "That boy of yours, Valka. I don't know what I'm going to do with him." The chief picks up a large metal bucket and goes out the front door. A moment later he returns with the bucket full of snow. Stoick puts the bucket over the fire and sits down. He glances up at the ceiling with a worried expression. "He's so much like you."

Jack watches the scene with tears in his eyes. Hiccup has never mentioned his mother, but its been heavily implied that she died long ago. With a heavy heart, he goes up the stairs and into Hiccup's room.

The fire is burning hotter than it has before and there seems to be twice as many lamps. There isn't a shadow in the room. Hiccup sits naked in a basin of steaming water. He's trembling and pale. Green eyes are shining with pain.

Jack kneels beside Hiccup. He notices the scorch-marks on the floor and realizes that Toothless must have heated this water. With the intention of giving comfort, Jack reaches out a pale hand.

"Don't!" Hiccup flinches away. His cheeks turn a healthier color.

Stoick comes into the room with a steaming bucket of water. "Sharpshot warmed it for me." His brow furrows. "You need to get warm, Hiccup. This isn't an option."

It takes a moment to realize that the coloring on Hiccup's a blush. Jack drops his gaze to his own bare feet. He's glad that he's invisible to the Chief. This could be difficult to explain. At least its so hot in here that his frost can't establish itself. "I didn't mean to upset you. I still stand by what I say." Brilliant blue eyes gaze into mesmerizing green. "You don't deserve to be treated like that. It just makes me...irrationally angry."

He pours the steaming water into Hiccup's makeshift bath. Water sloshes on the floor.

Jack feels the water on his feet. He considers getting up but it doesn't freeze so he stays where he is. Before continuing, the snowette takes a deep breath. "I'm sorry for hurting you. I'm trying to control my powers better, but the only thing I can do is make it worse. Its been like this from the start." Jack hesitates a heartbeat, "Touch is important to me. I don't mind holding your hand through your gloves, but I really love the skin-to-skin. You're the first person I've ever touched. Ever. And sometimes I forget that if I touch you too long or outside of this room, you'll get hurt or worse."

Hiccup doesn't say anything – his father is right there – but he smiles at the snowette. However, his eyes still hold doubt.

"You've been acting strange, son." Stoick interrupts their rather one-sided conversation. "The last time you did this it was because of that dragon." The man gives Toothless a nod of acknowledgment. "Is there anything you want to tell me?"

"Nothings going on, dad." Hiccup lies. "I'm just," he lifts a hand out of the water and accidentally splashes both Stoick and Jack in the face. "I've been thinking about mom a lot." The brunette sighs. His green eyes drop back to stare into the water.

Stoick's eyes gleam with unshed tears. "Your mother would be very proud of you, Hiccup." The redhead touches his helmet with a ghost of a smile. "Valka always believed that dragons aren't our enemies. Its clear that you get that mindset from her." Stoick straightens up. He nods at his son then leaves the room.

Hiccup gestures to Jack to get closer.

Jack scoots forward until he's mere inches from Hiccup's face. He angles his face so he isn't breathing on the brunette.

Hiccup has no qualms with breathing on Jack. He leans closer so that their cheeks are brushing. "I'm still mad at you. If it wasn't for Toothless Minnowtooth and Crookedarrow might have lost their hands and feet."

Vikings have ridiculous names but Jack senses this isn't the time to laugh. His face remains carefully blank. "I wouldn't leave you for the wolves." The snowette can feel his companion's smile.

"You are a wolf, Jack." Hiccup's voice is playful. He pulls back enough so they can see each other.

Jack smiles even though he doesn't like being compared to a wolf. "Can I touch you now?"

"I'm a little worried you'll freeze the water." Hiccup answers with a smile. "I'd like to have full use of everything below the waterline."

Jack chuckles. "I won't touch the water." He studies Hiccup's uncertain facial expression. "Come on, we just touched a minute ago." He raises a brown eyebrow, daring Hiccup to come up with another excuse.

"Okay, okay. You're right." Hiccup holds his hands up in a surrender gesture.

Jack wants to lace their fingers together but he doesn't because Hiccup's are wet. Instead he takes a deep breath and lets it out. "You're okay with it?" Jack is pretty sure that the perceptive brunette knows what he wants.

The Viking nods. "I think so."

"You think so?" Jack gives him a exasperated expression.

"I've never done it with...someone like you." Hiccup's green eyes drop down to the floorboards before looking at Jack again.

Although he's unsure of what exactly Hiccup is referring to, Jack doesn't question it. "I've never done it with anyone." He shrugs as though its no big deal. There was a ten year period where Jack was desperate for a family. He wanted to experience all of the physical acts and enjoy the miracle of someone he helped to make. But that was over forty years ago and Jack hasn't thought about it much since then.

"Are you going to keep talking?" Hiccup raises an eyebrow.

Jack presses his lips to Hiccup's and tastes sweet ale on his breath. He wants desperately to invade that warm mouth with his tongue to get a better taste...But Jack pulls away. He licks his lips thoughtfully. That is a taste he could easily get addicted to. "I guess its a good thing I don't breathe fire." The snowette gives Hiccup a sly smile. He jokes but on the inside the snowette's heart is racing and he's feeling the first stirrings of longing.

Hiccup smiles back. "I don't know what you're talking about." His face is a rosy color and his eyes are shining. "That was...different." He swirls his finger around in the water, making a whirlpool. "Not a bad different. I've just never kissed someone so...cold and...male."

Blue eyes roll up to the ceiling where Toothless is peering down at them on the beams. _That's creepy. _"Were you expecting something else?"

Hiccup laughs. "Are you asking if I was expecting you to magically heat up? No. No I wasn't." He pointedly looks down. "But hey, everything seems to be not frozen so we're all good."

"Hiccup, who are you talking to?" Stoick's voice comes from downstairs. Now that his son isn't as frozen as a glacier, it seems Stoick is content to leave him to his own devices.

"Just Toothless, dad!" Hiccup calls down. He covers his smile with a wet hand.

To confirm this, Toothless growls loud enough for the redhead man to hear. The dragon shifts on his beam and closes his eyes. A gentle purring starts up.

Jack watches the dragon with awe. He didn't know dragons can purr. "Does he normally sleep this much?" Ever since he showed up, it seems like Toothless has been asleep a lot, if he's around at all. Yet when he is around he and Hiccup have a bond that is obviously very strong.

"I don't know what he's doing." Hiccup smiles up at his friend. "He's never acted like this but I don't think he's sick or anything." He turns his green eyes o n the winter spirit. "I'll give you something you'll like if you help me up."

Once again Jack forgot about Hiccup's lack of a foot. Its not like Hiccup has any trouble getting around with it – except when there is ice on the ground – so Jack just doesn't think of it. "I'm interested." He stands and leans his staff against the wall. Offering up his pale white hands, the snowette smiles. "Tell me more."

Hiccup gets a strong grip on Jack's hands and stands up.

The winter spirit would be lying if he said he didn't take a peek at the naked body of the shorter young man. Jack slips an arm around his waist, ignoring the fact that the Viking boy is wet. He walks with Hiccup to the bed where a fresh set of clothes are laying out.

Using both Jack and the bed as support, the brunette gets dressed. When his clothes are on Hiccup faces the snowette. He touches Jack's face.

Then they are kissing. Lips pressing, tongues exploring. Eyes closed, bodies flush against each other.

Jack's palms are against the flat of Hiccup's back, running up and down the curve of his spine. Jack takes a step forward.

Hiccup takes a step back. They fall onto the pile of furs. Jack barely catches himself in time to stop from crushing the younger boy. He runs his hands up Hiccup's sides, a little annoyed that he can't feel scarred skin. When he runs out of torso, Jack slides them back down, down, down, to Hiccup's thighs.

Hiccup's hand is tangled in his white hair. Goosebumps rise at the not-so-gentle tugging of his hair. Teeth bite Jack's lower lip and his breath hitches. The stirrings of lust he felt earlier are more than just stirrings. He feels a tightening and the delicious sensation of blood rushing south.

Suddenly there are hands on his chest, pushing him away. "I have to breathe." Hiccup gasps. Green eyes study Jack's face. "Is that another talent of yours?"

Jack doesn't have to ask what Hiccup means. "No. I have to breathe just like you do." He remembers the first breath he took; it was painful. He kisses each of Hiccup's pink cheeks. Then his lips. Jack trails kisses down Hiccup's neck.

"You're awful." Hiccup's hands pull him closer. His arms are trembling but his skin feels hotter than usual. "You and your stupid blush."

"I'm going to eat you up, Hiccup." To illustrate his point, Jack bites down lightly just above Hiccup's collarbone.

Hiccup's hips buck up against Jack's. A groan is given from parted lips.

From his head to his toes, heat washes over Jack. The snowette shudders. "And I wouldn't be talking about stupid blushes." In the back of his mind, Jack is wondering how far this is going to go. Not that he would complain if they had sex right now but...

"Are you alright, Hiccup?" Stoick again. He hasn't paid this much attention to his offspring ever.

_Like magic. _Even though he's invisible, Jack stills.

"I'm fine dad. Uh, my foot is aching." Hiccup calls down. His face is as red as a cherry. "Don't you dare laugh," the brunette whispers. They wait a few minutes before continuing the conversation. "Get off me and close my door before my dad comes up here. Please."

Jack sighs but complies. His desire for the Viking youth hasn't diminished in the slightest. Just seeing Hiccup lying back on his furs with his shirt pushed up is sending fresh waves of desire through him. But when Hiccup's jaws part in a yawn, Jack knows that this isn't going to go any further tonight. _That might not be a bad thing, you've only known him for a few weeks. _"We've had a busy day and you look tired. Go to sleep."

Hiccup crawls on his knees until he's laying the proper way on his bed. "C'mon." Green eyes watch Jack. "I trust you. Just keep the fire going."

The winter spirit hopes more than anything that Hiccup's trust isn't misplaced; not because he's going to try anything underhanded, but because it would be so easy to accidentally snuff out Hiccup's life. Jack feeds the fire a fresh log before climbing under the furs beside the object of his affection. He pulls Hiccup against him.

The brunette laughs quietly.

"What?" Jack whispers even though he doesn't have to. Hiccup and the dragons are the only ones who can hear him.

Hiccup pushes his butt against Jack's hips. He shakes with silent laughter, which doesn't help Jack's self control at all.

Pale fingers work their way to bare skin and trace swirls tantalizingly low. Or high, depending on how you look at it. "I wouldn't be talking." Golden warmth works its way though Jack; happiness. He hasn't ever been so content.

"I didn't expect to be so attracted to you." The brunette's tone is serious then he dissolves into giggles.

_This is ridiculous. _Jack heaves a loud, dramatic sigh. "Thanks. You are so good for my self-confidence." He withdraws his hand to a safer spot on Hiccup's ribcage.

Sobering up, Hiccup turns his head to try and see Jack. "I didn't mean it like that. You really are attractive." He twists most of his body around to plant a quick kiss on the pale boy's cheek. Then he settles back down in their original position.

Hiccup's body rubbing against Jack is driving him crazy in the best way. "Hiccup, if you don't shut up and go to sleep I'm going to keep that mouth of yours busy all night." After that Hiccup is quiet but Jack can feel his heartbeat pounding faster and harder. Jack listens to Hiccup's breathing, noting how it catches and gets breathier sometimes. It doesn't take a genius to guess what he's thinking about.

Jack knows the moment that Hiccup falls asleep. His body relaxes, his breathing evens out, and his heartbeat slows. He rests his chin on the soft red-brown hair. Now that he's cooled off, the snowette's thoughts have turned to darker subjects. _Even if he tells you to stay with him forever you can only be together until he dies. _

With that unpleasant thought tumbling around in his skull, Jack holds Hiccup tighter. The thought of losing Hiccup scares him more than he ever thought possible.

* * *

**This takes place between the movies. Lets say when Hiccup is 17-19.**

**Hiccup is drinking ale for two reasons: I needed to give him a specific somewhat pleasant taste and he's a goddamn Viking.**

**As I'm finishing up this chapter, I'm noticing that Jack and Hiccup smile at each other a lot. If I notice it, you guys probably will too and some of you may be annoyed. But think of it like this, they make each other happy. And that's what you are supposed to do in a positive relationship. **

**They are boys. Teenage boys with raging hormones. Its not like sex and stuff has never crossed their minds. So if you ever spot something particularly pervy or cheesy (I was laughing my ass off writing it) that's why. Also, although Jack is a virgin (so is Hiccup), he's seen people have sex before (creeper) so he knows how its done. **


	5. Day Thirty

"Hiccup, I think I should go." Jack mumbles. He's not tired but he doesn't want to get out of bed. Ever since two weeks ago when they discovered that they could be in close proximity without Hiccup being hurt – or worse – Jack has been spending the nights with the brunette. Without a doubt the past month has been the best times of Jack's life.

Hiccup grumbles a string of unintelligible sounds but they have the effect of "No." Eyes closed, the dragon-rider nuzzles against Jack's neck. His arms tighten around Jack's waist. Part of the reason Jack wants to leave is because Hiccup has been becoming withdrawn from his friends and father; it doesn't help that everyone is blaming him for Jack's weather.

"Only for a little while." Jack presses though he makes no move to separate from Hiccup. If he hadn't experienced it, Jack wouldn't have believed that he could get used to being with the Viking as fast as he has.

Hiccup sits up and rubs his eyes. Then he looks at Jack. "Have you decided you don't like me?" His tone isn't serious; they both know there's no chance of Jack ever not liking the dragon-rider.

"No. I like you a lot." Jack sits up too. He wraps his arms around the younger boy and rests his cheek against Hiccup's back. Lately he's been dying to feel bare skin – more than just holding hands and kissing – but he isn't at all sure about any of that. Partially because Jack isn't sure what one would call their relationship and partially because Jack is still afraid that he'll hurt the brunette. "But people are talking."

Hiccup nods slowly. His reddish-brown hair tickles Jack's nose. Through his shirt, Jack can feel Hiccup's heart racing. "They think they need to...appease you."

Jack smiles. Its almost too obvious so he doesn't say it out loud.

"Shut up." Hiccup warns but ruined when a laugh escapes him. He buries his face in his hands to hide his red face.

Naturally this prompts a laugh from the snowette. "You know what would appease me, Hiccup?" Jack's voice is lower, husky.

"Oh, Odin. I've heard of this before." Hiccup faces Jack, a mischievous smile on his face and green eyes shining eagerly. "Guys thinking that they are so smooth but are really just cheesy."

Lightly Jack punches Hiccup on his bicep. "Admit it, for a guy with no relationships, that was pretty smooth." He grins. The peck on the lips comes as naturally as breathing.

Hiccup grins. "I keep forgetting."

Hiccup's bedroom door opens with a bang. Both boys jump and look over at it. Standing there is Stoick. The massive redhead has his customary frown in place. "What are you doing in bed still?"

Jack has never been so happy to be invisible. He squeezes Hiccup's hand for support. "I'll try not to say anything funny." Stoick has always been just minutes or seconds from discovering his son in compromising positions that really wouldn't make sense if you couldn't see Jack.

Jack can feel the glare that Hiccup wants to give him but the brunette doesn't look away from his father. "Hey dad. I was just getting up."

"Who were you talking to?" The Chief's eyes narrow as they scan the room. "Odin, its hot in here."

Hiccup swings his legs over the edge of the bed. "Its a little cold outside, if you hadn't noticed." He puts his prosthetic on. "Its not exactly like I'm the beefiest Viking around. I don't have all that muscle to keep me warm."

Jack can't help but laugh. He turns away so Hiccup won't see him and start laughing too. The snowette buries his face in the pillow and shakes with laughter.

"Your pillow just moved." The Chief walks over to Hiccup's bed.

Jack stops laughing. He holds still, heart beating like a rabbit's.

"I-I had Sharpshot in here a minute ago." Hiccup looks nervous. His hands wring one of the furs on his bed.

Stoick reaches out a huge hand...and it goes right through Jack.

Jack lets out a sigh of relief. Then looks up at the man with red hair. This close he can see wrinkle lines and a few freckles that Hiccup must have inherited. Stoick's breath smells like fish and ale, a disgusting combination. He wrinkles his nose, leaning his face away. It seems like Stoick didn't hear him. Jack's feelings about this are very mixed.

"I will find out what's going on with you." The Chief promises. He turns heel and leaves the room, fur cloak flying out behind him.

Only when Stoick's footsteps fade does Hiccup turn back to Jack. "You said you would stay until I told you to leave." The Viking stands and stretches.

From the rafters, Toothless leaps down. He rubs up against Hiccup, seeking affection.

"I didn't think I would cause so many problems." Jack grabs his staff. He no longer sleeps with it, having substituted it for Hiccup.

"We had problems before you came. They are just...out in the open more." Hiccup snags his goggles off a peg by the door.

The trio all but runs down the stairs. They go out the front door and the dragon bounds around happily. Outside, the sunlight is shining bright and there isn't a cloud in the sky. It is the first clear day since Jack came to Berk. Hiccup smiles at his best friend. He climbs onto the saddle, clicks his metal foot into place. They are in the air in a second, ascending rapidly.

For a few moments Jack watches them fly. They work so well together its astounding.

"Hurry up!" Hiccup's voice comes from far, far away.

Jack launches himself into the air after them. He spins in the air. The wind pushes his white hair back, giving him his windswept look. Catching up to the Night Fury and his rider hardly takes any time at all. "Wooohooo!" The winter spirit flies a wide circle around Toothless.

Toothless echos his whoop, dragon-style. Green-yellow eyes catch Jack's blue ones. Toothless cracks a toothless grin then picks up speed.

Jack speeds after him, riding the air currents. A long time ago he learned to fly by watching geese. As fast and light as he is, the snowette catches up quickly. He taps the black dragon's tail with his staff and rolls onto his back. Then he's flying side by side with Toothless and Hiccup. "Fancy seeing you here," The winter spirit grins at Hiccup. "Do you come here often?"

"You remember our conversation about smoothness?" Hiccup shouts to be heard.

"You mean the one where you can't resist my charms?" Jack shouts back. His face hurts from smiling so much but he just can't stop. For once the pale boy has so much to be happy about.

Hiccup takes Toothless into a dive. "The one where I compared you to cheese."

When Jack catches up he says, "I don't seem to recall that part."

"How convenient!" With a gloved hand Hiccup points to the ground. He and Toothless drop lower.

Jack looks down and can barely make out the valley he spoke to Hiccup in. He flips so that he's falling head-first, presses his arms to his sides, and keeps his legs together. Jack falls faster than Toothless does. At the last second before he hits the ground, the snowette rights and slows. His still bones shake when Jack touches the ground.

The first thing Jack notices is that the valley is completely frozen. There is hardly any snow but frost covers everything. Kneeling, the snowette puts a hand to the ice covering the ground. Ice spikes up beneath his hand, nearly stabbing through it. "Oh shi-"

"Whoa." Toothless lands on the ice and looks at the lake. "What happened here?"

_As if you really need to ask. _Jack stands and faces the brunette. "You should probably stay on Toothless."

"Really? You mean if I try walking on this, I'm just going to fall on my butt?" Hiccup's expression is unamused. He rolls his eyes. "Thanks so much for that insight."

Jack leans on his staff and blinks at the dragon-rider.

"Looks like you are going to have to fish somewhere else, Toothless." Hiccup pats the dragon's neck. "Lets go home."

Once again they leave without Jack but this time the snowette feels like Hiccup is annoyed. Jack sits cross-legged on the ice. He puts his hand on it and focuses his energies away from him. To his right, ice spikes form like so many daggers. They glisten dangerously in the sun. The snowette shifts until he's on his hands and knees. He focuses his attention on the first little cluster of ice spikes he made. It is destroyed in seconds; replaced by thicker, longer spikes. They twist and grow to create a dangerous tower that reaches above the highest wall of the valley.

His powers amaze him, but they scare him too. Consciously, Jack can make things like this happen. He can bring snow and ice to life. He can enchant snowballs that make people playful. Then there are the things that Jack can't control. The blizzards that rage when he's upset. The way everything he touches freezes. Where the wind takes the snow.

Jack wonders if he should tear down his tower - somehow – then he decides that it will eventually melt. The winter spirit flies out of the canyon but walks back to the village. Blue eyes watch as foliage goes dormant or dies as his frost covers them. A solitary life of putting plants to sleep or killing things has been Jack's entire existence up to this point. _Cold means death. _Jack shakes his head to clear it of those thoughts. He's had them off and on since he was born.

The snowette checks the dining hall first but Hiccup isn't there. Next he goes to the forge. It is dark and empty. When Hiccup can't be found at his house, Jack wonders if he actually came back to the village. Jack wanders the village looking for the brunette without success. Then he hears laughter coming from the old dragon slaying training arena. Bright blue eyes peer through the chains that make up the dome.

Down below him are all six of the young adult Vikings. Hiccup is in the center of them, holding hands with Astrid. The brunette keeps trying to lift his hands to illustrate while he talks and Astrid's hand moves with his.

Jack tilts his head to the side. "No way."

He notices that Snotlout is sitting close to Ruffnut. The female twin is leaning into her brother's space to get away from the burly Viking youth.

Fishlegs sits between Hiccup and Snotlout. He's holding a leather bound book filled with Viking runes and drawings of dragons; Hiccup's no doubt.

Sitting in the middle of the circle are two baby dragons. One looks like a miniature version of Astrid's Deadly Nadder, Stormfly. The other looks like a light orange version of Snotlout's Monstrous Nightmare, Hookfang. They nip at the Vikings and shoot sparks at each other.

"I wonder if Night Furies come in different colors." Astrid tickles the chin of the Nadder dragonling.

"I don't know. Toothless is the first one that's been seen here." Hiccup rolls a pebble around in his free hand. "He didn't come back with any babies."

"Do you remember when Astrid had the brilliant idea of putting dragon eggs in everyone's houses?" Ruffnut flicks the Monstrous Nightmare's nose when it starts chewing on her boot.

Tuffnut scowls. "Yeah, and she put two in our house. I broke a finger fixing that roof."

"Do you think he gets lonely?" Hiccup's expression is worried.

"How can he be lonely when he's with Ruff all the time?" Snotlout glares at the blond twin. He turns his attention to Ruffnut and smiles.

She gives him a disgusted look.

"Toothless has you, Hiccup." Astrid brushes hair out of her face. The Nadder has crawled into her lap.

"I'm not exactly dragon mate material." Hiccup looks up suddenly. "Speak of the devil."

The great black dragon walks into the training arena. He nudges Hiccup before pushing his head between him and Astrid to peer at the baby dragons.

Jack turns away from the scene. _Hiccup doesn't need you. _"Of course he doesn't. I'm the one who needs him." He's at a loss as to what to do.

_Leave. _

"I told him I wouldn't leave until he told me to." But leaving is sounding pretty good right now. This morning it was hard to tell Hiccup that he thought he should leave. Especially when he was so comfortable and happy. Frustrated, Jack kicks up snow. "Calm down. Its going to be fine. I'll just go for a short trip...somewhere else."

Blue eyes glance back at the training arena. "I'll be back before he notices I'm gone." Jack leaps into the air. He lets the wind take him where it will. Looking down, the snowette is unsurprised to find himself over the ocean again. There isn't much to look at when you are out on open ocean except, well, water. Jack closes his eyes and enjoys the feeling of the wind in his hair.

The next time he opens them, the boy with white hair is over land. It's heavily wooded but through the forest is a path. A girl with flaming red hair rides a black and white horse at a full gallop.

Jack out distances her easily. His short trip turns into a longer one. The snowette comes across more castles in more lands. He brings with him snow and cold wind. At his presence, people shut hurry their children inside and close their doors. He closes his eyes to them, heart aching.

As the sun sinks below the horizon, Jack finds himself sitting on the edge of a tall cliff. His cheek leans against his wooden staff. The snowette takes a deep breath and holds it for five seconds, telling himself that all his negative thoughts will go away when he exhales. On five, Jack exhales. He imagines his bad thoughts as birds that fly away into the sunset.

The moon has gone through its cycle and is full again. Its light shines down on Jack. To someone from a distance – could they see him – it might appear as if Jack was glowing. "If there's something I'm doing wrong, can you just tellme what it is?" The Man In The Moon does not answer him. Just as he has every time Jack has spoken to him, The Man In The Moon remains silent.

Blue eyes stare down at the dark forest at the bottom of the cliff. He wonders if Hiccup is his purpose. "Speaking of Hiccup, I should probably be getting back now." Jack stands up and leaps off the cliff. "Take me back to him, wind."

The trip back to Berk is a blur. Jack tried to think of something to say to Hiccup but nothing came to mind. At least, nothing that doesn't make him sound like an insecure little girl.

He finds Hiccup in the forge with Toothless and Sharpshot. The Viking is leaning against the Night Fury's side, eyes closed and Terrible Terror in his lap. Toothless growls when Jack enters. "So...decided to come back, did you?" Hiccup doesn't open his eyes.

Jack evades the question with one of his own. "How has the weather been?" He clutches his staff to his chest. Its his comfort, as strange as it may seem.

"It hailed." Hiccup opens his eyes, ensnaring Jack in his green gaze. "Look, I know we aren't...together and we haven't known each other long but I would appreciate it if you could...just... You said you weren't leaving..." Briefly he looks away then he's staring into Jack's eyes again. "Don't you dare leave me."

Jack is silent for a few minutes, collecting his thoughts. Leaving didn't help the weather in Berk – it made it worse – and now that Jack is less likely to hurt Hiccup... "Okay."

Hiccup sets Sharpshot on the floor beside Toothless. He stands and takes a few steps so he's standing in front of the snowette. "Okay." Hiccup's arms are around him. "Where did you go?"

Jack relaxes into the touch. "East." The amount of relief he feels at Hiccup's easy acceptance of him is astounding. A quick peck on the lips is all Jack can give.

"I'm freezing." Hiccup releases him but he's got a smile on his freckled face. "Lets go roll around under the furs."

Behind the brunette, Toothless rolls his eyes. When they leave the dragons stay in the forge. It occurs to Jack that Toothless is spending more time alone because he wants to give the two humans some privacy. On the way out the door he catches Toothless's eye and nods his thanks.

* * *

**Nothing to say here except thank you the follows/faves and reviews. I really appreciate it. **


	6. Day Thirty-One

At first Jack doesn't know what woke him so late at night. Blue eyes open but are barely able to make out the rafters above the bed. He listens for the noises that have become familiar to him, particularly Hiccup's even breathing.

What he hears isn't quite even. When Jack tightens his grip on the brunette, he notices that Hiccup is trembling. In the dim light the snowette reaches for his companion's hand. Its clenched so tight that he can't squeeze his fingers between Hiccup's. Concerned, Jack sits up.

Instead of unconsciously snuggling into Jack, the brunette curls in on himself.

"Hiccup?" Jack tries to shake the younger boy awake. No response. There's something different about Hiccup's skin that the snowette just can't put his finger on. Jack sits in the dark, frowning, trying to clear his head enough to –

"The fire!" The snowette throws back fur stiff with frost and is across the room in record timing. The fire has burned down to coals that are barely clinging to life. "No, no, no, no, no." At his touch, frost forms on a log. "No! No!" Jack backs away, hands pulling at his hair in distress.

Blue eyes look at Hiccup who isn't moving except to shiver from cold. Toothless and Sharpshot are in the forge and its too far to risk going to get them. "Oh, what do I do?!" Jack breathes, leaping across the room and pulling on his white hair. To Hiccup he says, "I'm sorry."

Then Jack dashes down the stairs. He waves his hands and the candles snuff themselves out. Ice crawls up the walls. Wind bursts open Stoick's bedroom door before Jack runs into it. "Wake up!" Jack screams. He pulls the window open to let in the cold. "Wake up! Wake up! He's dying!" The snowette drags his hands down the walls. Ice spreads faster than it ever has before.

Stoick moves in his sleep, uncomfortable with the cold but not awake yet. His breath comes out in a cloud.

_Hiccup's breath didn't even do that. Its because you were with him, Jack. _Tears roll down pale cheeks unnoticed. Jack holds out his hand and focuses. Too slowly a shard of ice forms. "Forgive me, Hiccup." Jack's fingers close around the blade. He advances on the sleeping Stoick. Before he loses his nerve, Jack brings the ice blade down into Stoick's thigh. He drags it down an inch.

"ODIN!" The great redhead man roars. He sits bolt upright, a dagger in his hand. Stoick pulls the shard of ice from his leg and stares at it uncomprehendingly. His eyes look around as his mind registers the cold. "Hiccup!" Hiccup's father rushes out of bed and right through Jack.

Jack throws back his head and lets out a sob. Then he's racing back up the stairs. Stoick has Hiccup wrapped in his fur, holding his son in his arms. The brunette is limp, head lulled back. Jack is afraid to get any closer in case he makes things worse. As Stoick carries Hiccup to the fireplace, Jack gets an idea.

He runs to the window, throw s it open, and leaps out into the night. Running across rooftops, Jack tries to bury his fears. Giving in won't help Hiccup. Before he even reaches the forge, Jack is yelling out, "Toothless! You have to help Hiccup! Toothless!" Jack reaches the forge quickly, but he isn't sure if its quick enough.

Suddenly the door of the forge goes flying across the village. Toothless bursts out of the building and is in the air without waiting for an explanation. He lets out a mighty roar.

Jack watches him go; eyes wide, panting hard, shaking. "Please, please, I'll never ask for anything again if you let him live." The prayer is sent to anyone who has the power to grant it. He races back towards Hiccup's house; begging, praying that the dragon-rider is going to be okay. Seeing the glow of fire from the windows brings a small measure of relief.

Jack rises into the air and peers through the now-closed window. Every single light source – including some that weren't there before – is light and burning bright.

Toothless is curled around Hiccup, gently breathing heat onto him. The dragon's ear-plates are flat against his skull and he keeps glancing at Stoick then back at Hiccup.

Stoick has a pile of furs that aren't frozen in his arms. He kneels beside the boy and dragon and covers his naked son with them.

Hiccup's icy clothes have been discarded. He lays on one of Toothless's leathery black wings because the ground is frozen. Blankets and furs are piled on top of him but what little skin Jack can see is an unsettling pale color. Hiccup's brilliant green eyes are still closed, his brow furrowed.

Knowing that he will only make things worse, Jack goes to the roof. He lays on his back, staring up at the moon. Without speaking, he sends his heart's deepest desires out to the universe, pleading for Hiccup's life, trying to convey how much he's valued. Just to be sure they are heard he repeats them out loud, "I want Hiccup to live. Please, don't let him die. Even if he hates me and I never see him again, I'll be happy if he's alive."

Gray clouds block out the sun but Jack has a sense of when it rises. It brings him no hope. Neither Toothless or Stoick has made an appearance even though several hours have passed. The snowette hasn't looked in on Hiccup; he is afraid of what he will find. Jack runs a hand through his hair. "I am so stupid." He sighs and covers his eyes with an arm. "I can't believe I let the fire go out."

A healthy, well-established fire can take the few droplets of water from his unintentional frost. If Jack had dropped a frosted log on the coals they would have gone out and it would have been taken longer for Stoick to get the fire going. Jack sits up, breathing hard. He wonders if Stoick will be able to see him now that the winter spirit stabbed him in the leg.

Again, Jack runs his hand through his hair and down to his neck. "Breathe, just breathe. Its going to be okay." He reaches for his staff and realizes its still in Hiccup's room. The snowette stands and paces the roof.

Movement from below catches his eye. Astrid is walking up the path through the snow to Hiccup's house. She's wearing a thick fur coat with the hood pulled up but Jack recognizes her from her walk. Astrid knocks on the door and waits a few seconds. When no one answers, she knocks again. "Hiccup!" Two minutes go by. "Hiccup, we have a class to teach!"

Jack jumps from the roof, landing lightly in the snow. He walks towards Astrid, then through her. He opens the front door for her.

Astrid shivers when he walks through her. She starts when the door opens. When she sees no one is there her blue eyes narrow. The blonde puts a hand on the handle of her ax then enters the house. Her jaw drops open.

Jack follows her. The downstairs is still frozen. There is a frozen trail of blood leading from Stoick's room to up the stairs. Jack licks his lips nervously; he didn't think he had hurt Stoick that badly. The only upside to all the ice is that Astrid doesn't notice him accompanying her.

They go upstairs. Hiccup's door is closed but a warm glow is coming from beneath it. Jack doesn't hesitate to open the door. Heat exits the room in a wave.

Astrid pushes her hood back. Unknowingly she follows Jack.

Its like walking into an oven. The winter spirit feels uncomfortable. He's never been so happy that he doesn't melt like the frost and snow he creates. If he did there would certainly be a puddle of Jack Frost on the floor.

Stoick sits on a stool in the corner, looking more asleep than awake. He raises his head when Astrid walks in, though. "Has he said anything to you about...Jack?"

Brilliant blue eyes widen then search out Hiccup. They have migrated to the bed, which looks considerably smaller with a dragon in it. The brunette is still curled up with the Night Fury but his skin is no longer pale and blue. "Can I see him?" Jack asks Toothless. He's only half aware of the conversation going on between Astrid and Stoick.

Astrid is glancing from Stoick to Hiccup. She doesn't see the boy with white hair. "Who's Jack?"

"I didn't mean to hurt him. Please." Jack knows he's immortal but he still doesn't want to be dismembered by a dragon. If Toothless doesn't let him nearer than this, Jack will respect his wishes.

"Hiccup has been acting strange lately." Stoick shakes his head. "I should have paid closer attention."

Toothless growls softly. Then he bobs his head up and down.

Jack takes a step closer to them. The dragon doesn't make any threatening movements so the snowette closes the gap.

"Maybe he found a new type of dragon and wanted to train it like he did Toothless?" Astrid looks around. "It would probably be a snow dragon."

Toothless snorts and rolls his eyes.

That is pretty much Jack's response. He kneels on the floor so that he's level with Hiccup's face. A few times he tries to say something but the words just don't come. Instead, he rests his cheek on the edge of the bed.

"It could be an ice dragon." Stoick agrees slowly, "That would explain all the snow." The stool the great man sits on creaks. "It doesn't explain why it would leave Hiccup for dead."

"I didn't." Jack protests.

"What happened to your leg?" Astrid asks.

Stoick is silent for a few seconds. "It must have been the beast. I was asleep when it happened. Bled a fair bit but no serious damage."

Even if they think they are talking about a dragon, Jack doesn't like being referred to as a beast. "I'm not a beast."

"It sounds like the dragon was trying to wake you up." Astrid says reasonably.

Its the first time Jack has felt anything other than dislike for the blonde Viking girl.

"Jack is such a weird name though. I wonder how he came up with it." There is silence for a moment. "Er, you're bleeding again. Would you like to go to the Elder? Toothless will make sure Hiccup is safe."

When the two Vikings leave, Jack lets out a sigh of relief. Its not that he doesn't like Stoick but he doesn't like being spoken about negatively.

Hiccup suddenly speaks, "I don't know what I'm going to tell them."

Jack leaps to his feet. His heart races and he puts a hand to it. The Viking boy startled him. "You ass! You're faking it?!" The relief that Hiccup is alright has tears coming to his eyes. He really thought he had killed the brunette this time.

"Just faking sleep. I don't know how to explain that the winter spirit who has been sleeping with me for the past few weeks forgot to put another log on the fire and nearly killed me." Green eyes look up at Jack.

Jack searches for any kind of betrayal in Hiccup's tone or expression but he doesn't find any. "They probably wouldn't believe you. Maybe you should stick to the fake dragon story." Jack kneels again, nuzzling the brunette just beneath his chin. "I'm sorry I was so careless."

"A frost dragon named Jack." Hiccup sighs. "I could probably do something with that, but what am I going to tell them when summer comes and there's a trail of frost following me but no one can see the dragon?"

The snowette kisses Hiccup's cheeks then his forehead. "I don't know. Tell them I'm invisible."

"A new dragon that no one but me can see. That would go over well." Hiccup's sarcasm is obvious. He tilts his face towards Jack's for a kiss on the lips.

Jack kisses Hiccup, trying to convey how much the brunette means to him in the action. "I thought you were going to die."

"So did I." Green eyes become a little distant. He shivers then focuses on the pale boy. "I don't blame you. Everyone makes mistakes and you can't help that yours are a little deadlier than most peoples." Hiccup shakes his head. "Besides, I'm a Viking. Its an occupational hazard."

"I kind of stabbed your dad with a piece of ice." Jack confesses. He's sure that Hiccup heard it already, but he has to be forgiven for everything. Hiccup means so much to him, and not just because he's the only person who can see Jack. "I couldn't shake him awake because I can't touch...anyone but you. And I couldn't just keep making it colder or he would have froze too. Hiccup, I'm so sorry."

A ghost of a smile appears on Hiccup's face. "You want me to say it again? I don't blame you, Jack. For any of it." The brunette sits up, bringing a black fur blanket with him. He elbows Toothless's side. "Give us a minute, bud."

Toothless makes a loud string of noises that Jack can't begin to interrupt.

Hiccup just gives him a long look.

Without any more argument, the dragon stands up and carefully backs off the bed. He squeezes through the door and slams it shut with his tail. From the other side of the door he makes more of the strange noises then they hear a thud.

Jack sits cross-legged on the end of the bed. "He's worse than your dad."

"I don't think my dad would leave me alone with you if he could see you." Hiccup rubs the back of his neck, green eyes looking up at the ceiling.

"Is he worried I'm going to get his little boy pregnant?" Jack teases, a smile on his face. They haven't really talked about sex or gotten to that point in their relationship but its bound to happen eventually.

Hiccup scoots over so his head is resting on Jack's shoulder. "Now that would be hard to explain."

In his chest, Jack's heart beats wildly. But he has to ask, "What about Astrid?"

"She's the one who does all that romance stuff. Astrid likes to be with the strongest Viking," Hiccup takes Jack's pale hand in his tan one. "Although I'm clearly the strongest Viking around, it doesn't hurt that I'm next in line to be Chief. That is if Snotlout doesn't kill me first."

The snowette runs his thumb across the back of Hiccup's hand. "What does Snotlout have to do with it?"

"He's my cousin. If something happens to me, he would inherit the title of Chief." As though its no big deal, Hiccup shrugs.

"Oh." Jack looks at the stump where Hiccup's foot used to be. The missing limb doesn't bother him; especially not after his own experience with amputation. "Did it hurt when you lost your foot?"

"I don't remember. I was falling into fire and the next thing I know, I'm waking up in my bed and my foot is gone." Hiccup licks his lips. He sits up and rubs his leg, shaking his head.

Jack waits for more information but none is offered.

Hiccup puts his arms around the snowette's neck. He rubs their cheeks together. The brunette's is just a little bristly.

Jack tilts his head for a kiss. His hand slides up the back of Hiccup's neck and his fingers thread their way through light brown hair. He runs his tongue across the dragon-rider's bottom lip.

Hiccup parts his lips, tongue pressing against Jack's. They fight for dominance then Hiccup's tongue is exploring the cold mouth of the winter spirit. Jack tastes like freshly fallen snow and he's nearly as chilled. For someone who has lived with ice and snow all his life, this doesn't bother the brunette in the slightest. He wraps his arms around Jack's neck, bringing their bodies closer.

Jack moves forward, pressing eagerly against the slender body. His free hand snakes around to Hiccup's back and rests against the small of it. Hiccup is wonderfully warm, skin nearly burning Jack's.

Hiccup turns his face to suck in a deep breath. A spiderweb-thin trail of saliva trails from his lip to the snowette's. A quick lick to the lips breaks it. He pulls Jack on top of him, more than a little aware that they are separated by only Jack's clothing and the corner of a fur blanket. Hiccup misjudged how far he was from the edge; his head lulls off.

Jack pulls him back up with, lips curved upward slightly. They adjust so that Hiccup falls back onto the furs lengthwise. The snowette kisses the scar on Hiccup's chin, along his jaw, down the boy's neck where his rapid pulse can be felt. He nibbles the sensitive ski n then nips Hiccup's ear lobe.

Hiccup shivers with delight. A fire has started inside him and it burns hotter with every kiss. The bites to his neck causes his fingers curl around Jack's shirt. He doesn't attempt to stop the soft whine from being heard.

The whine urges Jack on. He runs his tongue across Hiccup's collarbone then lower to a pink nipple. He notices the few freckles on Hiccup's chest and smiles briefly before returning his attention to the stiffening nipple. Jack traces circles and alternates pressure.

Hiccup can't seem to stay still. The feeling of Jack's cool tongue against his hot skin is stimulating. For a moment he lifts his head to watch that tongue play with his anatomy then he drops his head back down and lets his eyes slide closed. After trying to hold still and failing, Hiccup runs his hands through Jack's silky white hair, across his back, and down his chest. He arches up to offer more, moaning and unconsciously making soft needy mewling sounds.

Jack arches his back in Hiccup's hands, somewhat surprised to find that he doesn't want Hiccup's hands to stop their exploring at his waist. He moves from one nipple to the other, drawing this one into his mouth and sucking.

"Oh...!" Hiccup shivers. He grabs a fistful of Jack's clothes to stop from touching himself. Eyelids open to slits to watch Jack using his mouth and tongue.

Pressure on his head has Jack raising it to further observe the brunette. Hiccup's hand is on his head, pushing downwards.

"Don't! I..." His pupils are dilated wide with longing, his face colored red. "Jack, uh, do you think you could..." The brunette stops talking again to collect his thoughts enough to make his request a little more tactful.

Jack lowers his body onto Hiccup's. He was well aware of the dragon-rider's arousal, but its different to have that arousal pressed against your abdomen. "Tell me what you want."

The dragon-rider's hips roll up against Jack's body. Finally something solidifies in his mind. "I want to keep your mouth busy." Beautiful green eyes gaze steadily into blue ones of a shade no less brilliant.

Jack catches on immediately. He kisses Hiccup, intending it to be a short one, but the brunette lifts his head with Jack's. The snowette presses down hard, nips the soft bottom lip, and slips his tongue into Hiccup's open mouth when he gasps. He rubs his tongue against the Viking's; Hiccup still tastes like ale. When he finally satisfies his desire for the taste, Jack breaks contact. The snowette kisses his way down Hiccup's torso.

With each kiss, Hiccup's need grows. His inhibition against being too loud is thrown out the window. The knowledge that Astrid and his father may be back at any moment, and that Toothless is right outside the door, is pushed to the back of his mind. "Oh, Odin."

At Hiccup's left him, Jack starts to bite down.

From outside comes a loud crash. Both boys jump from the unexpected noise.

Jack's jaws close around the bone. He tastes metallic blood.

Hiccup yelps and scrambles into a sitting position.

Although he should be inspecting the wound, Jack's blue eyes find themselves looking a little to the right. Hiccup's arousal is so obvious and oddly inviting. He wonders what it would taste like...

"Jack!" Hiccup's voice pulls him from his fantasy before it can really begin. Just as well because something strange is happening to the brunette's hip. The blood is spreading in a familiar pattern. Hiccup hisses and squirms. "Its cutting into my skin. What's going on, Jack?"

Jack conjurors up a snowflake. Its life is that of two seconds but its long enough for the winter spirit to see that the same pattern is forming on Hiccup's hip. Once the snowflake forms it stays. "I-I think...I need to..." Lowering his head, Jack breathes on the bloody snowflake wound.

It flashes blue...and stays that way. The iridescent blue snowflake is the exact same shade as Jack's eyes. Jack turns his head this way and that, watching it change different shades of blue almost like ice. But its blue all the way through; no flesh, blood, or organs showing through it.

Hiccup tentatively touches the blue snowflake. He jerks his hand away. "Its cold."

Jack touches as well but doesn't feel anything. "I don't understand. How did-"

"So this hasn't happened before?" The dragon-rider sounds nervous.

"No." Jack tears his gaze away from the marking on Hiccup's hip. "Does it hurt?"

Hiccup shakes his head. "Just a little. This is not how I expected the night to go." Cautiously he pokes the snowflake. Nothing happens.

"I didn't expect you to be alive." Jack sits back, unsure how Hiccup is taking this. He thinks that the brunette may be in shock. It isn't how he had expected the night to go either; once he found out the brunette is alive. His eyes are drawn back to his companion's hip. _You barely even bit him, what would happen if you forgot yourself and hurt him worse? _

Suddenly, Jack is on his feet. He picks up his staff from the ground and backs towards the door.

"Jack?" Hiccup's tone tells him that he knows what the snowette is going to do before the plan is even formed in Jack's mind. "Jack!" Hiccup is on his one foot, using the bed for support as he tries to hop over to the winter spirit.

Jack shakes his head. "I...I can't hurt you anymore." With ease, Jack leaps out of the window.

"Jack!" Hiccup yells after him. "Jack!" His voice is louder, fearful and angry.

The winter spirit doesn't find out if Hiccup hurls insults and accusations at him or if Hiccup screams his name again. Jack races across rooftops until he comes to forest, then he lets the wind carry him. "Take me home, wind. Take me home so I can't hurt him anymore."

* * *

**-I'm torn between thinking that Jack is the hugest drama queen ever...and thinking that he's right on the mark when he goes home. Because he's accidentally nearly killed - and has hurt - Hiccup a few times now and the voice in his head definitely isn't helping. **

**-Hiccup's snowflake frostbite "tattoo" is based off of a picture by Resave on Deviantart / Tumblr. Even though its on Jack in their picture and not the hip...It was major inspiration for this fic. So give it a look.**

**-I was also listening to the song ****_I Need Your Love _****by ****_Ellie Goulding/Calvin Harris. _****Type in the song name and "Hijack" and you should find a Hijack amv. Its a good song. **

**-Sorry for switching around POVs during the...romantic bits. **

**-If I don't make at least one of you cry, I'm going to be super disappointed. Because I cried writing the beginning of the chapter. **

**-Also, its HiJack week. I have the best timing ever, don't I? lol **


	7. Day Sixty-Two

Jack walks on the top of a high stone wall, turning the rough texture slick with ice. He stares ahead, past the houses and into the darkness of the forest. From the sky comes something wonderfully gold. Despite his heavy heart, Jack manages a smile. "Right on time, Sandman."

Then the tendrils of dream sand reach Jack's village. He touches one and a puppy materializes. The golden sand pup drops to his forelegs, tail wagging, and barks playfully at Jack. Jack's tentative smile turns into a full-blown one of happiness. The Sandman's dreams have been what has gotten Jack through many a long, difficult night.

As the puppy disappears to go to a child, a dolphin takes its place. The sparkling marine animal leaps and dives in circles around Jack. Blue eyes follow the tendrils of sand back up to their source in the sky; a massive golden cloud. The sparkling material its made out of is dream sand. Wind raises Jack up into the night sky. There, he watches the Sandman work.

The Sandman is a short little fellow, made out of the same material as his dream sand. Or so it appears to Jack. His arms move as though he is conducting an orchestra. When the man catches sight of him, he waves at the winter spirit.

Jack waves back. He watches for a few moments before going back to the village to play with the dreams. A unicorn prances around him upon his arrival. Laughing, Jack touches it. The animal morphs into something else, something more familiar than any horned horse. It isn't quite the right shape but then again, dragons on this side of the world are different in appearance.

Seeing the soaring dream sand dragon causes his heart to ache. Leaving Hiccup like that – especially after promising not to leave him – was stupid but it was for the best. He isn't sure about other people, but Jack wouldn't want to be with someone who hurts him all the time. They have only known each other for a month and Jack has hurt Hiccup four times. Of those four times, he's nearly killed him twice.

It has been two weeks since Jack left. He's thought of the brunette dragon-rider every single day. The snowette hasn't tried at all to make his presence known to humans. If he hurt one person, he would hurt the rest. But he feels a tugging sensation, a pull if you will, something drawing him to the east.

Jack sits on the edge of a rooftop, kicking his feet. He rests his cheek against his staff. Even the wood has been shot through with veins of ice. It really is stupid to think of having a relationship with a mortal. Hiccup will die long before Jack will. Could he bear to watch the Viking grow old and die? Blue eyes look up at the moon. "I don't suppose you have any words of wisdom for me?"

Silence from The Man In The Moon.

"That's what I thought." Jack stands, feeling restless all of a sudden. Hiccup will be angry if he comes back. He wishes he knew how the brunette feels now that he's gone. This is the only time that Jack has wished to be invisible to humans, just long enough so that he can see how Hiccup is doing. _Maybe you should check on him, just to make sure he's okay. _The snowette glances at the moon then at the Sandman.

The next thing he knows, Jack is riding the wind. He urges it to move faster. The trip to Berk is no shorter than it was the first time he made it. In fact, it seems to take longer.

Jack arrives at Berk in the midst of a storm. At first he isn't sure that its even Berk but he trusts the wind to take him to the right place. Sleet falls from the sky. The snowette can barely see his hand in front of his face. He touches down on what he thinks is solid ground, but turns out to be a cliff top. Due to the weight of snow and boy, combined with years of having the wind blow harshly against it, the soil just can't take it anymore. It gives way beneath Jack's feet.

He tumbles through the sky, the ground rushing up at him. His landing is not cushioned by snow, though it is deeper than the snowette is tall. Jack lays on his back, stunned. His head hurts, his vision swims. Or, that could just be the sleet falling on him. There is a terrible pain in the back of his head that reminds him of his footwear experience.

Eventually the pain lessens then stops. Jack reaches to touch the back of his head. Some blood comes away then freezes on his fingertips. When he stands he glances at the spot briefly before having to look away. Blue eyes look around but all he sees is white; he's trapped in a huge snowbank. Cautiously, Jack pokes at it with his staff. Some of the wall comes away.

Jack closes his eyes. He closes out the sounds of the storm and turns his focus inward. Meditating has never been his favorite thing to do – though he has spent a few years doing it – but he does it now. Now that he isn't so focused on the outside, it seems like the pulling sensation wants him to go to the northeast.

Opening his eyes, Jack nods to himself. He scoops up some wet snow by his feet and sculpts a dragon. Bringing the snow Night Fury to his face, the snowette gives it the breath of life.

It flashes blue then returns to its original coloring. The little dragon lifts its wings, flaps them a few times, and is hovering. Its eye dents look at Jack.

"Help me find Hiccup." He encourages the little dragon with a smile. As soon as it flies off, Jack realizes his mistake. The dragon is white and sleet is still falling. Visibility is next to nil. Regardless of this, Jack follows it. They walk for a long time, battling the snow and rain the entire time.

Finally the mock Night Fury lands on Jack's shoulder. It points its snout in the direction of a wall of snow.

Jack shakes his head. "I don't understand."

It flies to the wall and back to Jack.

Blue eyes search for some sign that this is more than just an average wall of snow. He's really beginning to doubt that the mock Night Fury knows where its going. Maybe he put too much faith in the snow dragon. Then he spots it; a tiny black plume of smoke. Someone with a dragon is behind there; his gut is telling him its Hiccup.

Jack is hesitant to just knock through the wall but can't think of a better way to get in. Using his staff, Jack clears away some snow. Then some more. And a whole lot more. The fact that he keeps covering it in a new layer of frost isn't helping. As quickly as he digs, the snow piles up behind him. After more than half an hour, Jack reflects that its a good thing he's immortal. The smoke has grown thicker but he still hasn't reached the source.

Beside him, the snow dragon hovers and flits about excitedly.

Jack feels the same excitement; the same sense that he's getting closer to the thing that will make him feel less empty. Then Jack can see an orange glow through the snow. One last jab with his staff lets out the heat and firelight.

"W-who would be out in this storm?" An unfortunately familiar voice reaches Jack's ears.

Oh great, that's Astrid's voice. He feels his spirits sink a little. With the miniature Night Fury, Jack steps through the small gap he made in the snow. The cave he steps into is made of stone and holds no snow. Jack is relieved to find that its almost warm enough for him to be in close proximity to the brunette.

Astrid's blue eyes are wide with surprise. "Is that Jack?" She sits on one side of a fire next to her Deadly Nadder.

Jack turns to Hiccup.

The brunette looks the same as he did when Jack left except for the dark circles around his eyes. He was leaning against Toothless but when he sees the winter spirit, Hiccup sits up. Then the Viking is on his feet, hands curled into fists. "You," Hiccup's fist is a blur.

Jack's cheek explodes in pain. He jerks back, rubbing his sore face. Then it comes again, on the other cheek. "Ow, ow, ow."

"You...you..." Hiccup punches him again.

The snowette trips over his own staff. He doesn't try to defend himself, knowing that no serious damage will last longer than a few minutes. _Well he certainly seems to be mad at you. _

"You left me!" Hiccup puts one foot on either side of Jack's body. Green eyes glare down at the winter spirit. "You marked me and you left me and the worst part is that I could still feel you!" He kneels so he's straddling Jack. "Oh, but no. Lets not take Hiccup's opinion into account when it comes to our relationship."

"Hiccup?" Astrid is standing, her hand on her ax.

Jack suddenly has the insight that Astrid's ax is like his staff. He turns his eyes back to Hiccup. "Hit me all you want. You deserve to. I was an ass for leaving you...again." Jack jerks his chin in the direction of the blonde girl. "But she looks like she's going to ax you in the back and unfortunately you aren't immortal."

Hiccup turns his face slightly to look at Astrid.

Jack shifts to prop himself up on his elbows.

Hiccup's green eyes snap back to his face.

"I would rather you tell me to leave you forever and know that you are alive than let anything kill you. If you don't chill her out, I will." The snowette desperately wants to kiss Hiccup but he doesn't dare. Not yet, anyway. "So, can she see me?"

"I think if she could she wouldn't be about to ax me." Hiccup replies with a sigh. He gets off Jack and turns to the female Viking without offering a hand up. "Astrid...what do you know about Jack?"

"I know he was in your house." She has a slightly crazy look in her blue eyes despite the fact that neither dragon is panicking over Jack's appearance.

The snowette gets to his feet and stands as close to Hiccup as he thinks the brunette will allow. "His house wasn't the only thing I was in." Jack grins. To his delight, Hiccup's face turns a lovely shade of red.

"Jack!" He scolds then turns back to Astrid. "Yes. He was...in my house. Has been for a while."

Jack can't help but laugh. With his innuendo they seem to have bridged a gap between them. "Are you going to give her all the dirty details? I think we might be put on the naughty list."

Hiccup turns to the snowette again but there is the beginning of a smile on his freckled face. "Will you shut up?"

Jack grins again. He was worried that Hiccup would ignore him or tell him to get lost. Now that neither have happened, the joy threatens to overflow. "Have I ever told you your freckles are cute?"

"Dragons don't talk." Astrid's eyes are flickering back and forth but they never seem to land on the winter spirit. She's so tense that she's shaking. "Are you crazy?"

Hiccup focuses on the girl again. "No I'm not." He holds his hands up palms out. He runs a hand through his light brown hair. "Um, you are aware of Jokul Frosti?"

Astrid nods slowly. The gears are obviously working in her head. "You mean that you've been hanging out with Old Man Winter?"

"I am not old." Jack protests again, recalling this was the point where Hiccup could hear him.

"He's not old." Hiccup says at the same time. "His name is Jack Frost. He's a hundred-something years old but he looks like he's our age." Hiccup holds up his hands again. "I know its hard to believe me but please, try, Astrid."

"So he isn't a dragon?" Astrid asks again. Her eyes are following something flitting around the room.

Suddenly Jack remembers his mini Fury. "Hiccup, she thinks my snow dragon is me."

Until that point Hiccup hadn't noticed the dragon. When he does it lands on his shoulder. The brunette holds out a hand and the mini Fury sits on his palm. "It looks just like Toothless. But why did you make it?"

"I can feel you too but under all this snow I didn't know if I could find you." Jack is surprised that his face is heating up. "He helped."

"This isn't Jack. Its just something he made." Hiccup rubs the dragon with a fingertip. Like the dragon its modeled after, the mini Fury outstretches his neck and falls onto his side.

Instead of calming her down, it seems to have riled Astrid up. "He can make dragons?!"

"When you use that tone it sounds scary. And I don't know what to say to make myself seem like a good guy." Guilt twinges in his spine. He shifts uncomfortably. It will take quite a while to make it up to Hiccup.

Hiccup glances at Toothless. "I don't know what to tell you to make you believe me."

"You're looking pretty crazy right now, Hiccup." She admits.

Jack looks between the two of them. He would kill – or seriously hurt – Astrid before he lets her harm Hiccup even if it means invoking the brunette's wrath. An idea comes to him. "Has she seen your snowflake?"

Hiccup shakes his head.

"Hold your hands up like you were and don't move." Jack waits until Hiccup obeys before moving behind the shorter boy. He runs his hands down Hiccup's sides. "Its okay." the snowette feels Hiccup tense. "I'm just going to show it to her." The fact that frost forms on Hiccup's clothes does not escape the snowette.

"Jack wants to show you something. Since for some reason you think little snow Night Furies are a common occurrence." Hiccup's tone says he's smiling though the snowette can't see his face. "You are going to need to get closer...and tone down the violence, please."

"Is she really likely to hit you?" The winter spirit doesn't like the sound of that. He waits until Astrid is closer; she doesn't move more than a few feet in their direction. After he shows her the snowflake, the girl's curiosity will probably draw her closer. Jack rests his hands on Hiccup's hips.

"She's prone to violence." Hiccup replies in a low voice.

"Well, what is it?" Astrid is looking more and more murderous by the second.

Jack can only imagine what it looks like to the girl when Hiccup's shirt raises and his pants slide down to reveal a bony hip. The snowflake is as brightly colored as it was two weeks ago. Jack brushes his fingers against it and feels Hiccup shiver.

As predicted the Viking girl is intrigued. Her ax lowers a little as she takes a few steps. "What is that?" She takes one cautious step after another until she's on their side of the fire. "Hiccup, what is this?"

"Jack gave it to me." Hiccup sounds nervous.

"I want to believe you..." She pokes the snowflake marking and gasps. "Its cold! Its as cold as ice!" In amazement Jack watches Astrid's blue eyes flash a bluer blue. The girl falls back on her butt. "Hands. Hands...and..." Her eyes trail up Jack's arms to his face.

They lock eyes for the first time. Jack can't think of a single thing to say. He smooths Hiccup's clothes back into place.

"You're real." She looks at Hiccup. "He's real."

"Thank you for that vote of confidence." Hiccup leans against Jack.

The snowette takes it as forgiveness. He nuzzles the top of Hiccup's head.

Astrid stands. She brushes snow off her skirt. With the head of her ax, Astrid touches Jack's arm.

"If you could not cut that off, I would appreciate it. I already had my head smashed open today." The snowette doesn't like Astrid any more than he did before she could see him.

"You what?" The Vikings say at once.

Jack waves his hand, brushing off the topic and unintentionally making it snowflakes materialize. "Lets get back to the village."

The Viking boy is frowning at him but lets it go. "We can't. In this sleet, the dragon's wings will freeze." Hiccup frees himself from Jack's hold but stays close. "We've been here all day."

Jack doesn't suggest leaving the dragons. He could probably carry Hiccup and Astrid – one at a time – but not the dragons. Meeting Hiccup's green eyes he says, "We need to light more fires."

"What for?" Astrid seems to have found her voice. She still has a startled deer look though.

"Because anything he touches freezes." Hiccup gestures to his clothes. "Unless its hot enough to stop the ice." The brunette walks to the back of the cave beyond the dragons.

Astrid's eyes narrow. She stares at Jack then back at Hiccup. "You and Hiccup are friends?"

Jack nods. He wants to follow the brunette but he doesn't want to turn his back on this unstable girl. Still, he finds nothing to say to her. He doesn't know why conversation isn't coming as easily to him when its with Astrid.

"Are you why Hiccup has been spending so much time in his room?" She replaces her ax in her belt.

"Not lately." Jack replies evasively.

Hiccup returns with an armload of brush. "Help me with this, Astrid."

Together the young Vikings add more wood to the fire. They make the beginnings of two more and have Toothless and Stormfly light them.

Jack leaps lightly to a bare patch of stone. Frost forms about an inch out from where his feet land. Though it is a vast improvement from the four feet it usually extends, its not warm enough to stop it entirely. "Better add one more."He catches Hiccup's eye and gives him a sly smile.

Hiccup stands abruptly, going to the back of the cave once more. He returns shortly with another armload of dry plants.

"Bone would probably burn well too." Astrid comes back with a few thick bones. She puts one on each fire. It makes the fire smell strange, but if it keeps the fires burning longer and hotter its worth it. The blonde girl looks at the two of them on their side of the fire. "Well I'm going to sleep. If you try anything, I will kill you."

Jack doesn't bother to tell her that he's more likely to kill her than the other way around. He just nods agreeably.

Astrid retreats back to Stormfly. She makes sure the dragon is between her and the boys. The dragon wakes up and a rumbling noise comes from her. Then Stormfly puts her head back down and closes her eyes. Judging by the soft snoring that follows soon after, Astrid is asleep.

"Hiccup, I-"Movement catches Jack's eye.

The mini Fury goes to investigate Toothless. Toothless watches it for a few seconds then opens his mouth and snaps the snow dragon up. His cat-like green-yellow eyes stare right at Jack; its a warning.

Hiccup takes Jack's hand and leads him to a fur jack spread out on the ground near the cave wall. Its a pretty pathetic bed but it will do. "I shouldn't be so happy to see you." His voice is low and he keeps glancing in Astrid's direction. He sits cross-legged and takes off his prosthetic.

Jack joins him, setting down his staff. "I keep thinking what if. What if I hurt you? What if I kill you?" Jack presses his forehead to Hiccup's. He closes his eyes because its easier to be honest in the dark. "What if I can't love you because I'm...like this? And then I think its okay if I never see you again as long as you don't come to any harm."

"I'm a Viking, Jack. I faced the Red Death, that's how I lost my foot." Hiccup puts his hand on Jack's thigh. "Being in danger, getting hurt, that's my job description. I was born to endure pain. It doesn't scare me." Hiccup pauses – probably making sure Astrid is still asleep. "Do you always run away from your problems?"

"Before this I only had one problem and I couldn't run away from it." The snowette swallows to buy time to get his thoughts in order. "Isn't distance the best way to keep you safe from me? If these fires weren't going and we were this close you would be dying right now. Like...like..."

"But I didn't die then." Hiccup cups Jack's face in his hands. "I didn't die. You hurt me but you saved me too." The brunette smiles. "That has to count for something, right?"

Pale lips press against Hiccup's. He guides the younger boy back. "You are incredible." Jack kisses Hiccup again and the brunette is on his back. "You are amazing." The snowette kisses Hiccup a third time.

Hiccup moves his hand to the back of Jack's head to extend the kiss. "So are you." Then he smiles and his dilated green eyes turn mischievous. "You know what would help make it up to me?"

Jack makes a questioning noise in his throat. His pulse quickens. It always starts with kisses but this time there is a different feeling in the air.

Green eyes ensnare the snowette. Hiccup rolls his hips up against Jack's.

"Oh." Jack smirks. "'Is that so?" He stretches out flat on top of the brunette. Through their shirts he can feel Hiccup's heart racing. The boy with white hair nuzzles the dragon-rider's neck. He laps at it.

"Just one thing." Hiccup waits until Jack is looking at him again. "Your mouth is cold and your skin is cold even when its hot so it stands to reason that..." Green eyes look up towards the roof of the cave as though expecting to find answers there. "That your...uh...you..." Hiccup's hands wave about unseen over Jack's back.

The winter spirit thinks about for a few seconds then it clicks. "Oh." His cheeks turn pink. He didn't even think of that. "Uh, yeah. I'll...make sure to, er, pull out before..."

"Thank you." Hiccup buries his face in Jack's shoulder. "I never want to have that conversation again." His voice is muffled.

Jack chuckles. "I don't either." He coaxes Hiccup to stop hiding his face and isn't surprised to see that the brunette is blushing. "I'm yours forever." Then he kisses the dragon-rider.

Neither cares that their first time is on a fur coat in a cave. Or that more often than not they are kissing or biting shoulders to keep from crying out and to muffle the moans. Or even that Jack moves agonizingly slow to keep the noise of two bodies coming together from waking Astrid. None of that matters because they are together.

* * *

**-I listened to this song a lot while writing this: Life After You - Daughtry (there is a Hijack video to go with that). **

**-Until about 5pm today all I had to go off of on my outline for this chapter was my useful bullet point saying "sex", which meant that sex was going to happen in this chapter (it does but its not explicit). Yet this chapter is the longest one at 11 pages. I don't even understand. **

**-I hearby dub Jack's mini snow Night Fury...Mini Flurry. Go forth and make me an army of them in Hijack pictures. ;) **

**-Only three chapters left. Hehe**


	8. Day Sixty-Three

Throughout the night Jack untangles himself from the sleeping brunette to put more wood on the fires. He refuses to allow a repeat of what happened two weeks ago. The snowette goes out once in the early morning and is pleased to see that the weather has cleared. When he returns, Hiccup is awake.

They greet each other with a kiss. "The weather cleared. We should be able to leave today."

"Good." Hiccup rubs his stomach. "I'm hungry." He glances in Astrid's direction.

Jack shrugs. He doesn't know if the girl is awake and he doesn't care to check.

"It took her a while to warm up to Toothless too." The brunette pats black scales. "She accepted him after we took her for a ride."

The snowette kisses Hiccup's forehead. He helps Hiccup pack up the saddlebags. Jack is glad to note that there are no more snowflakes on the freckled boy. With a pale hand he rubs his neck and smiles at the pain.

Green eyes watch him. Then he smiles. The shorter boy stands on tiptoe and moves Jack's sleeve to expose his shoulder. "At least my love bites don't make little dragons appear or something."

"I wouldn't mind if they did." Jack leans down to rest his forehead on Hiccup's shoulder. He breathes in the scents of Hiccup, wind, and sex.

"I knew it!" Astrid's voice rings out.

Jack and Hiccup jump. They both look at each other then at the blonde Viking. They don't quite move away from each other but they aren't as close as they were. "What exactly did you know?" Hiccup asks.

Her ax is still safely tucked away so she must not be angry about this. "You two are together."

The snowette becomes a little self-conscious of the bite marks on his neck and shoulder. "And how did you figure that out?" Jack has never been sure of Hiccup's relationship with Astrid. He knows only what he's observed; which isn't much.

"Hiccup wouldn't have hit you if he didn't care about you." Astrid rolls her eyes. She shifts her weight from one foot to the other. "Not to mention all the touching."

Blue and green eyes meet.

Jack offers a sheepish smile. It didn't matter before – and it still kind of doesn't – but no one could even see him then.

Hiccup smiles back. He looks a little nervous but he takes the snowette's hand. His shoulders stiffen immediately. Now that the fires are dying down and the cave entrance is letting what heat they do make out, its too cold for skin-to-skin contact.

"Gloves." Jack takes his hand back.

Hiccup nods. He walks over to Toothless's saddlebags and begins rummaging through them.

Astrid has been watching the exchange. "He isn't a princess, you know." She turns to her own saddlebags and packs up what she used as bedding.

Jack does a flip over the fires. He lands up right behind Astrid. "He might as well be." The winter spirit touches the Viking girl's arm.

Her skin turns blue with cold. Frost covers her sleeve. Astrid yelps. She jerks her arm away from the snowette. "Point taken."

After the Vikings are packed Jack snuffs out the fire. Together they leave the cave with the help of Toothless and Stormfly. Outside the sunlight is bright and its reflecting off the snow makes it seem even brighter.

Jack covers his eyes and hopes it will get better once they are in the air. Lightly he leaps into the air to give Hiccup a kiss before they take off. "I'm glad I came back." He murmurs.

Hiccup kisses him back. "So am I." The brunette grins at him.

Jack does a back-flip away from the dragon and his rider. He can't keep the grin off his face. There had been a little worry that Hiccup may decide he was making a mistake but it seems that's not the case. It makes the winter spirit so happy that he feels like he's going to burst.

The two dragons follow him into the air.

Jack conjurors up large snowflakes for Toothless and Stormfly to chase down.

Hiccup is at ease. He and Toothless catch most of them. "I bet we can get more snowflakes than you and Stormfly."

Astrid smiles. "You're on." It becomes a challenge.

The attack is unexpected. One moment the group is laughing and enjoying the wind in their hair, the next there is smoke everywhere and Jack can't tell up from down. He thinks he's falling down. Through the smoke there comes a roar and a blast of purple light.

"'Did you miss me little brother?!" The unfamiliar voice sends fear creeping down Jack's spine. "I sure missed you!"

Jack doesn't hear the rest of the conversation. He falls into the ocean. The waves are angry and toss him around. A wave crashes over the snowette's head. The winter spirit is pulled underwater. Saltwater fills his mouth and nose. Fear has him in its grip; not for himself but for Hiccup and Toothless. He kicks his legs but it feels like he doesn't get any closer to the surface.

Blue eyes see flashes of distorted purple lighting high above him. Its beautiful. He watches orange clash with it. He could stay here forever. _They are fighting. _

Suddenly Jack realizes that he has to help. He swims towards to the surface with its multicolored lights. When he breaks it the quiet calm of the ocean is gone. Jack sucks in a breath of fresh air. He looks for land but there is none to be seen. Suddenly Jack is flying through the air, but not in his usual way. Blue eyes look up to see the dark underbelly of Toothless.

"I can fly by myself, thank you." Jack calls up to Toothless. But instead of going it solo when he is released, the winter spirit sits behind Hiccup. "Who is that?!"

"Its Dagur. He's from another tribe." Hiccup yells back.

A red dragon hurls itself at them. Toothless rolls to avoid it.

"And what does he want?" A jolt of red flame nearly singes his hair. Toothless flies after the dragon that made it. His shot of purple plasma hits the creature right in the eye. It screeches and its wings pull in; the dragon falls into the ocean.

"I think he's trying to kill me again so he can take over the tribe." Hiccup leans forward in the saddle. They ascend to a place above the smoke. "He must have a Zippleback, which means-" The smoke catches on fire.

The explosion that follows knocks Jack off Toothless. He loses sight of Hiccup and Toothless. Jack didn't realize that there were people who wanted to kill Hiccup. He should have, since the boy is a Viking and next in line to be chief but it just didn't occur to him. Blue eyes search frantically for the black dragon and his rider. "Hiccup! Hiccup!"

There are plenty of dragons with a rainbow of scale colors. They outnumber Hiccup and Astrid four to one. With all of the dragon fire and smoke visibility is difficult.

Astrid swoops by him on Stormfly. She is heading straight into the fray. The Viking girl has her ax out, standing up in the saddle.

Jack follows her and is instantly lost in the fire and smoke. He locks onto a flash of purple and touches it. The dragon gives a high pitched wail as his frost starts to spread across its face. Jack is moving on to the next one in search of his Viking. The winter spirit downs one more dragon and two riders before finding Hiccup and Toothless.

Toothless is locked in a midair battle with another dragon. The opponent is a dragon that glows blue. The dragons are about the same size, biting and clawing at each other. Toothless takes pains to stay as far away from its mouth as possible.

On the backs of the dragons are their riders: Hiccup and Dagur. They are both standing in their saddles, leaning over the dragon's heads. Something flashes silver; swords. Dagur looks like he's having the time of his life. Hiccup, on the other hand, is glaring at the larger Viking with such malice its almost scary.

Jack gets closer.

"How do you like my Flightmare, Hiccup?" Dagur laughs. He produces a dagger from his sleeve but the dragons spin away from each other before he can use it.

Toothless shoots plasma at the Flightmare. The Night Fury dives after the Flightmare, his claws extended and fangs bared. With their claws hooked, Toothless ascends higher into the sky.

Hiccup spots him. "Jack!"

A mist comes from the Flightmare's mouth, spreading across Toothless's dark face. Toothless roars in fury and fear. He snarls and rears back his head to go for a bite...and stops. The two dragons freeze in midair. Then the Flightmare takes a huge bite out of the Night Fury's throat. Blood falls thick as rain from the fatal wound.

"Toothless!" Hiccup drops down to hug the large black dragon. "Jack, you have to freeze us." There are tears streaming down his freckled face.

The dragons are falling, Toothless hasn't let go of the Flightmare even though the glowing dragon is struggling to free itself.

Dagur is too busy trying to free himself from his falling dragon to bother with Hiccup. His foot is stuck in the stirrup. If he doesn't get it out, he goes under with the dragons.

Jack blinks. He shakes his head. "No! No!"

Hiccup pulls a dagger off his belt. "Dagur's going to kill the entire village if I don't kill him first." He strokes Toothless's head. "Toothless is going to crash into the ocean and if you touch me I'll die anyway. At least we can take him down with us." The brunette is too calm about this.

Jack shakes his head again. "I can't. Its bad enough almost killing you, I can't do it for real." His vision blurs and he wipes tears away with the back of his hand. He looks for Astrid but she's just a black speck in the distance surrounded by the others from the band of attackers.

"Promise me."Hiccup's green eyes beg. They are wide with fear, betraying his calm exterior. No one wants to die so young or in such a terrible way. Green eyes glance at the water rushing up. "Promise me!"

Jack looks at the water below. He closes his eyes. The winter spirit sobs. "I'm sorry," The snowette takes a deep breath and opens his eyes.

Hiccup is leaning across Toothless's head, holding onto his dagger. The dagger is clear through Dagur's hand, pinning him to the Flightmare's head.

Another few seconds and they will hit the water. Suddenly hate wells up inside him. Hate for the cruel world, hate for Dagur who is ruining everything and doesn't even know it, hate for the unfairness of this. A primal scream tears from his throat. Jack reaches out and touches Toothless's tail just as they hit the water.

Ice grows and spreads. In a matter of seconds Toothless and Hiccup are encased in a spiked fortress. A few more seconds the Flightmare and Dagur are frozen. The ice spreads to the surface of the ocean. Its already cold, it isn't difficult to bring the water to freezing temperature. Jack doesn't stop there. He's filled with so much rage and grief that he just keeps pouring his power into the ocean. Its surface freezes. Ice spreads out in all directions. Spikes grow on top of it, pointing up towards the sky, glistening death.

He feels the tug of Hiccup for a moment then its gone. Jack can't see for the tears in his eyes. He cuts off the power creating the ice's growth. The winter spirit kneels on the ice floe he's made, blue eyes staring into green ones. Just beneath the surface is Hiccup looking up at him. Dead, though he doesn't look it yet. "I love you so much."

Jack sits on the ice staring into those empty green eyes until Astrid comes back.

She drips blood from a gash in her side. Stormfly staggers falls onto her side. She's bleeding as well. "What...did you do?"Astrid stands beside him looking down. Her blood mixes with his tears.

"I kept a promise." Jack answers hollowly.

* * *

**Don't go anywhere, there are two more chapters after this. They are also important so...yeah. **

**Its super sad that they never said "I love you" to each other before Hiccup died. But I think that they already knew. Its one of those things they don't have to say. **


	9. Day Sixty-Four

The absence of moonlight makes the stars shine all the brighter. There is no moon and no wind. And no Hiccup. Jack feels abandoned even though its all his fault. His fault for everything. That's why he decided to do what he's doing.

The winter spirit trembles. His entire body is quivering but his hands especially won't stay still. Jack takes a deep breath. He tries to find a calm spot within the storm that rages. It doesn't work. Instead he focuses on his rage, flares it into a wildfire. Pale hands stop trembling. He pulls up his shirt.

The ice blade doesn't feel cold against his skin. Quickly Jack carves out a snowflake on his right hip. The snowette hisses through his teeth. Dark blood starts flowing down his skin. Before the blood can even begin to clot or his skin start repairing itself, Jack bends in half, getting his face as close to his hip as he can. Then he breathes on it.

Jack waits, his heart pounding, his head spinning. Then the familiar flash of blue appears. He lets out a loud sigh that may have been a sob as the iridescent blue spreads. It follows the same pattern that Hiccup's did. When it stops glowing the shifting shades of blue remain.

This time Jack does sob. He lays back in the snow and lets the tears roll down his cheeks. His chest heaves with the sobs of grief. It took four times to get the snowflake to stay. The first two times he didn't even get it all carved before it started to heal. The third he didn't breathe on it fast enough and it healed to smooth white flesh.

He rolls onto his stomach to look over the edge of the small ledge he lays on. Below is his pond, a thin layer of ice around the edges. The water is dark and still. Its his birthplace. It seems as good a place as any for him to die.

Jack stands and casts his staff away. He doesn't look to The Man In The Moon for guidance. He doesn't take a deep breath before diving in.

The winter spirit has never tried this before. He is naturally clean without unpleasant smells or stains. His hair and skin never get greasy. So bathing has never been something he has bothered with. For all he knew, ice would form before he broke the surface. But Jack does know that at a high speed he will break through the surface. The churning water of the ocean stopped him from freezing it right away, but the still pond should put up no resistance.

It doesn't. At the bottom Jack flips onto his back. He looks up at the sky once. Then closes his eyes. The water freezes around him, trapping the winter spirit within the darkness.

Jack does not hear the footsteps on the ice. He does not see the bright shining of the full moon. Nor is he aware of the shadow that falls over his face. "Sleep for now, Jack, and erase everything from your mind. But just remember, I'm not done with you."

Then the figure turns heel and walks away, hands in pockets. Cheerful whistling can be heard but in the dark frozen forest, it sounds anything but. Before the tune is finished, the figure disappears. The forest that was holding its breath seems to breathe a sigh of relief.

Blue eyes open. _Darkness. That's the first thing I remember. It was dark, and it was cold. And I was scared. _ _My name is Jack Frost - how do I know that? The moon told me so._

* * *

**One more chapter and its finished. I really hope you guys liked this. **


	10. After Defeating Pitch

Toothiana clutches a baby tooth as white as freshly fallen snow to her chest. With her other hand she wipes away the tears falling down her cheeks. "Oh, Jack." The pain renews itself. She closes her eyes and gives in to the heartache. The tears fall freely, dampening her feathers. "I'm so sorry."

"Its better this way, dear." A pale white hand rests on her shoulder. Its very near as pale white as Jack's skin. "Knowing would only bring him pain and suffering."

Toothiana looks at the man and takes comfort in his familiar appearance. He has always looked after the Guardians and the children of Earth. "I know, Mim, but-"

"You know Nightlight wouldn't want his son to carry a burden any heavier than the one Jack has for so long. Its better for everyone if Jack doesn't remember the boy with the dragon." The man with white hair holds out his hand. "Jack has been unhappy for so long, let him have this joy he's found. Give me the tooth, I will make sure no one ever finds it."

A little reluctantly, Toothiana hands over the baby tooth of Jack Frost. She watches Mim wrap it in a handkerchief and tuck it away in the breast pocket of his white suit. "Jack is so happy now. I don't want to ruin it. But today he came to ask me if all his baby teeth were there." She dabs at her eyes again. "I told him yes."

The Man In The Moon smiles. "Good girl." Then he turns, walks a few steps away.

Suddenly the Tooth Fairy remembers something. "He keeps asking about the marking. What do I tell him about it?"

Mim turns, his features blank as a stone slate. "What marking?"

Toothiana has the sudden feeling that she shouldn't have mentioned the mark that Jack has no memory of. "The snowflake on Jack's hip."

–-

Mim returns to his palace. He walks its rooms until he comes to an inconspicuous door, which he opens. The Man In The Moon descends down the stairs into the darkness. His skin glows from within, illuminating the space.

He stops in front of the only cell. A wide smile splits his face. His white eyes seem to darken. "Well played, my dear friend. But you are going to have to do better than a dragon-rider and a silly little snowflake."

A very tall man with skin as gray as stone sits on the floor of a cell. His yellow eyes seem to glow. "If that was all I had up my sleeve the game would be very boring." He smiles, a flash of pointed white teeth. "Jack will fall again. When that happens you won't be there to scrub the pain from his memory. For what goes better than cold and darkness?"

"After all that you are going to try again?" Mim produces a key and waves it tauntingly out of reach.

The dark man smirks. "Jack is weak. He will succumb to me."

The Man In The Moon turns and walks away, leaving the other man in the dark. "Well I have to admire your spirit, Pitch." There is a musical clatter as something falls. "And I do believe its your move."

* * *

**(This is it, guys! Its the end. I really hope that you all liked it. Thank you for those of you who have reviewed. I'm really grateful.)**

**So tell me, who was expecting that? ;) **

**Yararaa and breetroad on Deviantart have lovely works that inspired the ending. Check them out. **

_**So does anyone want a sequel? I wasn't planning on doing one but I'm getting bitched at a lot for ending it this way. Well now there is more. I really hate everyone who asked for more. **_


	11. Year Four Hundred

From the sky comes something like a falling star. In fact, that's what astronomers would later say it was. The light soars over a tiny island in Scotland to a place farther north and much colder. Without warning the light stops, hovering over a peculiar floe of ice. The ice floe itself isn't special to a normal eye, but to the light it is very special indeed.

The light takes the shape of a tall, slender figure. He has the ageless face of a boy and eyes a shade of green so pale they are almost white. His snow white hair is erratic, long strands of it sticking out at odd angles. The figure of light wears armor that glows as brightly as he does. In his hand is a long, thin staff with a diamond dagger on one end.

The slender boy opens his mouth to speak; the first time he has done so in hundreds of years. His voice is quiet like a stream through the forests of old. "My son has need of you, young Warrior. You must bring him back from the darkness. Your companion will help you." Nightlight touches the ice floe with the tip of the dagger.

As the ice turns blue it gives a great groan. Cracks start to appear, small at first then larger. Then it breaks apart to reveal a boy with light brown hair, arms around the massive head of a black dragon. Nightlight is briefly surprised that these two are in such good condition when not an inch away another dragon and rider are rotting skeletons. The figure in armor shifts his weight as he wonders if he's played right into the hands of the enemy.

Pale green eyes study the two. It doesn't matter if Nightlight has played into the enemy's hands. He touches the diamond dagger to first the boy, then the dragon. Blue light runs over their bodies and they begin to stir. Before they completely wake, Nightlight is gone.

After half a night of flying, they have nothing to show for it. Hiccup and Toothless stand on a wet rock off the coast of Scotland. Its considerably smaller than it used to be and completely barren except for some grass. Some of the rock formations are the same as Hiccup remembers, but that's where the resemblance stops. The powerful ocean ate away at the rock, the people of Berk moved on a long time ago.

Hiccup can't stop the trembling of his body. He didn't know what he expected to find here, but this wasn't it. "We've been gone a long time, Toothless." Its the first time in a very long time that the earth has heard Norse spoken. "How did we survive?"

Toothless has no more answers than Hiccup does. The dragon sniffs around but its clear that nothing remains of the village they lived in. Their people are gone.

Hiccup climbs back onto the saddle. He clips himself in and pats Toothless's neck. The brunette doesn't know where to go but he doesn't want to stay where he is.

They fly east. Though they pass many people, none of them seem to see him. He doesn't understand most of what he sees. Things are very different from when he was encased in the ice. The world has become a loud, scary place. _Man up, Hiccup. You're a Viking for Odin's sake. _

Hiccup touches the cold spot on his left hip. Ever since he first woke up, he's felt the tug of Jack. Its pulling him south but Toothless seems to have a destination in mind and Hiccup is nervous about seeing the winter spirit. "Hi Jack, I'm back from the dead. Sorry for asking you to kill me when you were trying so hard to keep me alive and well." The brunette shakes his head. "Yeah, because that would go over well."

From nowhere the sky fills with colors; green, purple, and dark blue. Green eyes follow the trail of lights to their origin. He can't see where they end, but Hiccup has a feeling that they will come to an end. Its as good a place as any to start searching for answers. "What do you say, Toothless? Want to go check it out?"

Toothless continues flying in that direction. The Night Fury's black ear-plates are constantly swiveling, his head swinging back and forth.

Hiccup has a feeling he knows what his friend is looking for but he doesn't voice the growing suspicion. The farther north they go the less strength his connection to Jack has. He rubs the cold spot on his hip again.

It takes an hour of flying before they see the palace the northern lights originate from. They circle the majestic palace set in towering, snowy mountains. There are warm lights, multiple buildings, and a bridge arching to connect two mountains. Three thin red flags wave from almost every spike that juts out of the tops of the domed buildings. "T-this is incredible!" In all his life, Hiccup never imagined a place like this. It makes Berk seem like a bunch of little sheds crowded together on a pile of wet rock.

Toothless starts the descent onto one of the roofs. His claws clatter against it, and slip. He has to dig them in – scratching the roof – to stay on it.

Hiccup doesn't even try to dismount. His peg leg won't give him any traction. Green eyes look down to the ground.

A tall, hairy creature walks from one building to another. It walks on its hind-legs and has a ponytail in its hair. The thick shaggy hair covers its entire body except for black hands and feet. It grumbles to itself in a language Hiccup can't begin to comprehend; it sounds so different from his own. "Please tell me this isn't what modern people look like."

While Hiccup is pondering and worrying, something flies by him. She has teal, yellow, and purple feathers that over her body except her face and hands. The most amazing part of her is her wings; light purple, transparent, and very similar to an insect's wings. "-Jack do this time?"

At some deep level, Hiccup understands that she isn't speaking his language. Yet he understands what she's saying. The odd woman is gone before Hiccup can ask her about Jack. "Lets follow her, Toothless."

Quietly as possible they follow the feathered woman to the biggest dome of all. She slips into a gap in the roof. Hiccup and Toothless land on this roof. Hiccup leans forward as far as he dares until he can see in.

What he sees shocks him. There is magic everywhere. Colorful toys fly through the air. The large hairy things build and paint the toys. Little men with pointed red hats run around with plates of cookies. In the middle of the room is an enormous circle of green and blue, decorated with little glowing yellow dots. It looks like a map, but round. Standing beside the circle are four figures.

The fairy he followed hovers, anxiously looking at the round map.

Next to her is a short but wide man who looks like he's made of golden sand. He wears robes and has spiked hair. The short golden man appears to be having difficulty staying awake because every few seconds his head nods forward then he startles awake.

Beside the sand man is what looks a bit like a rabbit. He stands on his back legs – as tall as a man, possibly taller and that's not including the ears – with a curved piece of wood in his hand. Most of his fur is gray with darker markings. His underbelly is white. Right now his ears are flat against his head.

The last one – and the one opposite the fairy - is as tall and broad as Hiccup's own father Stoick. He has dark eyebrows and white hair. Tattoos cover what can be seen of his forearms. A large bright red coat with a black fur trim hands off his wide shoulders. On his head is a strange furry black hat. Or it could possibly be an animal.

"We all know what this is about, the only question is what did Jack do this time?" The rabbit squats then rises restlessly.

Hiccup's heart sinks. When he met Jack, it was an uncommon name. There could be more Jacks now, but Hiccup has a feeling that they are talking about his winter spirit.

The man in red heaves a great sigh. "He has snuffed out the lights of his remaining family."

There is silence following the statement. Hiccup holds his breath. _Jack has a family? Had a family? _

The rabbit takes a step forward. "By snuffed out you mean-"

"They are dead." The man shakes his head. He lowers his eyes to the floor. "No descendant remains of Jack's remains alive."

"Oh Jack. Oh what has he done?" The fairy covers her eyes with her hands. Its difficult to tell because she's flying but Hiccup thinks she's shaking.

Over the short gold man's head a series of images appears.

"You saw it, Sandy?" The rabbit looks horrified. His eyes take on a far away look and he shivers as though remembering something unpleasant. "Didn't you try to stop him?!"

Sandy nods his head yes. Then a snowflake identical to the one on Hiccup's hip except made of gold sand materializes.

"Of course he did, Sandy. We must decide what to do with Jack. He is Guardian. As long as children believe in him, he will stay strong." The man strokes his beard thoughtfully.

"How do you suggest we go about making them stop believing in Jack Frost? After three hundred years he finally made someone besides that dragon kid believe in him. Everyone believes in him now. We can't just tell them there's been really bad weather for the past ten years." the rabbit turns away from the group.

Hiccup gasps when he hears they know about him. Quickly he covers his mouth. Unless there was another dragon kid that Jack met. It seems very unlikely. All it took was belief. _Of course, once Astrid believed he was real she could see him. _Hiccup lays flat against Toothless's head, taking some comfort from the dragon.

"Aster, we can't blame this on Jack. He's not okay right now." The fairy flits over to him and touches his shoulder. "We have to believe that Jack will overcome Pitch."

Aster jerks away from her. "Its been ten years, Tooth! Jack isn't his father. Obviously he can't fight Pitch's influence."

"That was different, Bunny. Nightlight was inside of Pitch's heart. This time, a piece of Pitch is in Jack's heart." The man in red points out. He gestures to where Hiccup is hiding. "Besides, Manny has said nothing to us about this. He must believe in Jack."

Hiccup has no idea who Nightlight, Manny, and Pitch are. He suspects that Pitch is evil but the other two he has no idea.

"Or maybe he's waiting for us to figure out that we have to put an end to Jack Frost! I don't know why Mim wanted Jack to be a Guardian after he killed the boy with the dragon." Aster – aka Bunny – stops his foot. He throws his arms in the air. "I told you he isn't one of us! I told you he doesn't belong!"

Hiccup feels his heart ache for the winter spirit he made friends with. But he also feels a spike of fear for the snowette. Not to mention the bewilderment surrounding his predicament. "Come on, bud. We have to try and reason with them or they'll kill Jack."

Gracefully, Toothless leaps down from the roof. There are gasps and then complete silence. "We come in peace." Hiccup holds up his hands. He isn't sure if they can understand him. They all look as startled as Hiccup felt waking up from the ice. "My name is Hiccup. This is Toothless."

Finally the woman with transparent wings flutters forward. She offers her hand. "Its lovely to meet you in person, Hiccup. I'm Toothiana. I'm the tooth fairy." Toothiana gets closer and peers into Hiccup's mouth. "You certainly were a Viking. I suppose its a good thing you still have all of your teeth though."

"My, what?" Hiccup backs into Toothless.

The Night Fury growls. His wings are lifted off his back, a sign that he's ready to take off if need be.

"I guess Jack told you about me?" Hiccup blushes at the thought, wondering what was said about him.

"Not quite, honey. I watched his memories of you." Toothiana's violet eyes glance away then back at the brunette Viking.

"Oh just tell him," Bunny taps his foot impatiently. "Jack doesn't remember you." The rabbit's bright green eyes bore into Hiccup. "You had best stay away from him."

Hiccup is mortified at the thought of someone watching Jack's memories of him. That feeling is nothing compared to Bunny's revelation. "W-what do you mean he doesn't remember me?"

"After he thought he killed you, Jack froze himself in the pond he was resurrected in." North takes over. "We assume Manny took his memories of you to spare him pain. Jack will never die and that is a terrible thing to live with." He puts a hand on Hiccup's shoulder.

_He doesn't remember me. Why am I alive? _"You said he killed his family?"

Sandy waves his arms and a series of images appears over his head, moving too quickly to make sense of them.

"Its not a pleasant story, mate." Bunny answers when it becomes clear that Hiccup doesn't understand. "Jack -"

North interrupts, "I think Tooth should tell it."

The tooth fairy has been silent throughout most of their exchange. "Come on, Hiccup, Toothless. Lets go for flight." She waits for Hiccup to climb back into the saddle before leading the way out of the palace. For a few minutes they fly in silence. Despite himself, the brunette finds himself wanting to examine her wings. "You know that Jack is a good boy."

Hiccup nods. He knows.

"I'm sure he never told you how he died?" Toothiana pulls at one of the golden feathers in the place her ear would be. "Jack and his little sister were skating on the ice pond by their house. His sister skated onto a thin patch. When the ice started cracking, Jack calmed her down by telling her it was like a game of hopscotch." Toothiana sighs. "He kept getting close and he picked up his staff – yes the one he still carries – and used it to fling her out of danger. But his momentum threw him onto the breaking ice. Jack fell through and drowned."

She smiles. "He didn't look like he does now. Well, like he did last time you saw him. His hair was brown and so were his eyes. When The Man In The Moon brought Jack back to life, he changed his hair and eye color as well as giving him his powers. His name was changed as well, from Jackson Overland to Jack Frost." Toothiana sits behind Hiccup in the saddle. "If we knew Jack had no memories of his past life, I would have told him. Maybe things would have been better for him if he knew."

Hiccup finds it difficult to believe all of this. Not because its unbelievable, but because its so sad. "He used to tell me that he was born in a pond across the ocean. Didn't you guys, I dunno, talk to him at all?"

"I have a full time job, both as a Guardian and as the tooth fairy. I would have been happy to have Jack visit me in my palace, but he never came. Until we were summoned I hadn't left the palace in four hundred years, Hiccup." She shakes her head. "There was just too much work to be done."

"What about Bunny or Sandy or the guy in the red coat?" Hiccup protests. The brunette would never ever ignore Jack if he knew about the snowette's existence.

"Sandy saw Jack quite frequently while he was directing good dreams to the children. But Sandy is mute and Jack never tried to talk to him. Bunny and Jack have been at odds with each other ever since Jack made it storm on Easter Sunday. Jack has been trying to sneak into North's workshop for years. The Yetis always kept him out, like they do other intruders." She flies out into the sky to the front of Toothless. Toothiana peeks inside his mouth and smiles.

Hiccup tries to think of someone that could have talked to Jack. Surely the four of them aren't the only ones around. "What about Pitch and Mim and Manny?"

"Mim and Manny are the same person. We just call him different names. He is The Man In The Moon. Mim spoke to Jack once, to tell him his name. He does not speak to any of us very often." The woman's features darken. Her violet eyes turn hard. "Pitch is evil. Its best that he left Jack alone as long as he did."

They don't speak for a few minutes. Hiccup goes over what he's learned. "It sounds like I've been asleep for a long time."

"You weren't asleep, Hiccup. You and Toothless were dead. You two and Jack are the only ones Mim has ever brought back to life." She smooths her teal feathers into place. "You were in the ice for four hundred years."

"F-four hundred years? My friends, my family, they're all dead...?" The brunette rubs his eyes with his sleeve. He should have expected it but its still shocking. "Why were we brought back?"

Toothiana shakes her head. "I don't know. It was either to help us recover Jack...or to replace him."

Hiccup lays flat along Toothless's body. He doesn't feel like looking at the beautiful mountains when the topic of conversation is so bad. "Why did he kill his family?"

"About ten years ago, which was forty years after we defeated Pitch, Pitch came back. He stabbed Jack through the heart with his nightmare sand. Its like Sandy's golden sand but black and it -"

"Causes nightmares. Right." It still doesn't make sense.

"It pierced his heart. The change inside took over a year to be complete. We all saw the signs. Physically Jack is still changing. He looks very different than he did last time you saw him." A small hand-sized version of Toothiana with a long beak flutters up to them.

Toothless watches it with interest.

"We don't know why Jack killed them. None of us can imagine committing such a sin or why you would feel inclined to do so." Toothiana strokes the head feathers of the mini fairy. "This is Baby Tooth." The little fairy flutters over to Hiccup and tugs on his hair with a happy tittering noise.

She reminds Hiccup of a dragon – just a very small and feathered one. He smiles at her. Then he turns to Toothiana. "I have to find him." Hiccup knows he can find Jack, its just a matter of talking some sense into the snowette.

Violet eyes widen in concern. "He'll kill you, Hiccup!"

Hiccup smiles at her. "He already did once."

Toothless takes on a burst of speed and they leave the tooth fairy calling after them.

* * *

**I'm writing more of this because dumb bitches kept bugging me about it. Expect this to be of low quality, with long waits between updates. **

**Nightlight most likely isn't Jack's father. However, its a fan opinion that I happen to like so deal with it.**

**This is no longer just a HiJack fic. Its going to have some Blackice too. **

**The original song The Grey is still applicable. Yay. **


	12. Day Four Hundred and Two

As soon as the ocean ends, Hiccup begins to feel nauseous. He's never flown so far as he has in the past two days. He didn't know there was so much in the world. "Stop. Toothless, stop. We need to stop flying for a minute." Hiccup is leaping off the dragon before Toothless touches the ground. He takes a deep breath and runs his hand through his light brown hair. The strength of the pull demanding he be at Jack's side is stronger than it was when they were at North's Workshop. That isn't why he stopped though.

Hiccup takes two steps away from the Night Fury and his legs give out. As he's lying in the dirt, he remembers the last time this happened. It was after he freed Toothless and the black creature roared at him before leaving. Green eyes close then open again. His entire world has been blown to pieces.

Toothless noses him but Hiccup ignores the dragon.

Hiccup's father – Stoick the Vast – is dead. Unless Astrid survived the fight, Stoick never knew what became of his only son. Its hard to imagine that the respected Viking chief is no longer alive. But Hiccup was there on Berk; nothing is left of his former life. Nothing at all. Astrid is dead. They were probably going to get married and have children. Hiccup would be the chief with his father as his adviser and Astrid to keep him grounded.

His cousin Snotlout and friend Fishlegs are dead. The twins Ruffnut and Tuffnut are dead. Every single person he ever met in his life is dead.

Except for Jack Frost.

Its been four hundred years. There aren't even any descendants from their line. Hiccup died before he could continue the bloodline. Maybe Snotlout had children. Maybe he even had Astrid's children, though she probably found someone better than Snotlout to mate with. And its not quite the same as passing on Stoick and Valka's blood.

All of those dragons are probably gone. He hasn't seen one, when before they were everywhere. _I should have asked Toothiana. _No more listening to the Terrible Terrors singing on the rooftops or dragon races or making saddles. No more discovering new types of dragons and writing down their information in the Book of Dragons. No more riding on Toothless and mapping out the world.

Dragons have been a part of Hiccup's life since he was born. Now all he has is Toothless. Poor Toothless. Its bad enough to probably be the last of your specific breed but to be the last dragon ever. "I think I would have ignored Jack if I knew this was what the Gods had in store for us." Hiccup sits up, crossing his legs. "But there's no point in ignoring him now."

Toothless bumps his head against Hiccup's chest.

The brunette scratches Toothless's favorite places. "At least I've still got you, right buddy?"

Toothless licks the Viking boy eagerly. He raises his head and gives out a distinctive dragon call.

"Ugh. Toothless! You know that doesn't wash out!" In spite of his protest, the Viking boy is laughing. Green eyes look to the west where the sun is setting. The sky is streaked with red and orange. "You know we should be hungry and tired but I'm not either. I'm not even thirsty." Hiccup stands and leans against a tree. He scratches the back of his neck. "I guess if Jack didn't need to eat and all that we don't either."

The Night Fury isn't paying any attention to Hiccup. Toothless sits back on is haunches looking up, ear-plates perked up and head tilted to the side.

"What are you looking at?" Hiccup tilts his head back. He gasps and stumbles away from the tree.

What had once been a tree in full bloom with large green leaves is a tree with withering yellow, red, and brown leaves. A yellow leaf detached from its branch and flutters to the ground.

Green eyes go wide. Hiccup touches the tree again. Deep inside him he can sense it sleeping. The brunette races to another tree - one that is still green and awake – to press his palm flat against the bark. The leaves don't change color at once. Gradually they change until every single leaf if bright with autumn colors. Hiccup can feel the ancient life force of the tree slowly settling down and then sleeping.

"Its asleep. Toothless, I just put the trees to sleep." Hiccup kneels to touch a patch of soft green grass. It turns a pale yellow color. Though he doesn't have the same ancient feeling of the trees slumbering, Hiccup can tell that the grass is resting too. "Why would the grass sleep? Jack's frost would kill it."

The brunette turns to his Night Fury. "Toothless, do you see this?!" Hiccup runs a hand through his hair. He stands and shakes his head in amazement. "Can you believe this?! This is amazing! I'm a-an autumn spirit."

Suddenly his good leg gives out. Hiccup topples over. "I've never heard of an autumn spirit." He doesn't pick himself up off the ground. The earth smells fresh and warm like it did on hot days on Berk. "What can you do, Toothless?"

The dragon flattens his ear-plates. He gives Hiccup an _I'm already amazing _expression.

"You're right. There has to be a reason that you were brought back too." The brunette gets to his feet, feeling amazing. He's so full of feelings that its like he's going to burst. "This is amazing!" Hiccup races to the nearest tree. The brunette falls against it, scraping his cheek on the rough bark.

He brings his fingers to the minor wound. There is blood on his fingertips. Hiccup touches his face again and feels his skin regrowing. He wipes the rest of the blood from his cheek. Green eyes glance down at the metal prosthetic on the end of his left leg. "Do you think I could regrow my foot?" The spirit of autumn takes off his prosthetic and sets it aside. Nervously he rubs his scarred hands together.

Hiccup touches the stump at the end of his leg. He closes his eyes, willing his foot to grow back. After a few seconds, Hiccup feels nothing different. Green eyes stare down at the stump. "Well it was worth a shot."

Toothless nudges him. The dragon sniffs at his stump then promptly sits down and throws up fish in Hiccup's lap.

"Oh. Ugh. Toothless this fish is four hundred years old." Hiccup flips over and crawls away on his hands and foot. He shakes himself to get rid of the disgusting rotting fish. "Thanks for that bud. I really could have done without that." Despite himself, Hiccup wonders what would happen to a dead thing if he touches it.

The fish is warm and slimy. It makes a squelching noise when he touches it. "This is so gross." He forces himself to watch. Flesh falls from the bone, organs turn to mush. White and gray fungus begins to grow. Only the bones are left clean and off-white. Hiccup sits back on his heels, supporting most of his weight with his right foot. He rubs his hands clean on a few yellow leaves. "What does that have to do with autumn?"

Naturally curious, Toothless peers over Hiccup's shoulder at the bones and mold. He takes a few deep breathes in the general direction then shakes his head. The Night Fury makes no attempt to try and consume what used to be fish.

"Do you think this happens with living things too?" Hiccup asks quietly. Green eyes glance around for something small and easy to catch to test this theory on. A black and orange butterfly flutters into the area. "'At least its not a human."

Hiccup stands and tracks the insect with green eyes. To his surprise it doesn't seem to mind him. Like lightning, Hiccup claps his hands around the fragile creature. He draws it to his chest and waits a few seconds. The butterfly's wings are still fluttering; it still alive. Slowly, Hiccup opens his hands.

The butterfly hesitates then flies out of them. The only difference is the direction its going in; southwest. Suddenly there are butterflies every. They take to the sky by the hundreds.

Green eyes watch in wonder. "I don't understand." He shakes his head slowly. The brunette runs a hand through his hair again. Its been three days since he woke up on the ice floe in the middle of a strange ocean and literally everything that has happened since has been a shock to his mind.

He needs to figure things out. Hiccup begins pacing. "What is autumn?"

Green eyes watch Toothless chase a frog into a small pond. His gaze turns to the few trees he touched that have changed color and are in a deep slumber. "I-It's change. It's when everything gets ready for winter." Hiccup adjusts his fur vest and notices that it didn't fare quite well as he did in the ice; it doesn't help that it was well-worn anyway. "Am I supposed to get the world ready for Jack's winter?"

The thought gives him a chill. Winters were always bad on Berk – and so were autumn and spring – but never as bad as when Jack was physically there. "It always comes back to him, doesn't it?" Hiccup shakes his head.

He watches Toothless some more; the Night Fury has the frog sitting on his head now. He's looking quite pleased with himself. But nothing is happening to the amphibian.

Slowly Hiccup walks over. He reaches out then hesitates.

The frog doesn't move and that's unsettling. Any normal animal would be running from the Viking boy.

Then he touches it.

Nothing happens at first. Then it hops off Toothless's head. For a few minutes it hops around then finds a small hollow beneath a log. It squeezes itself into the hollow. After that nothing happens.

Hiccup walks over to check on it. He rolls the log a little to peek into the small hole. The green creature lays on its stomach with its legs tucked beneath it. Its eyes are closed but its back is moving. "Its asleep. Like the trees. And the grass." Carefully Hiccup replaces the log just the way it was before.

"It didn't just go to sleep right away. It was searching for a burrow. I guess frogs hibernate." He frowns. "The tree didn't sleep right away either. Its leaves changed colors as it fell asleep." Hiccup recalls the butterfly. "Maybe it was looking for a place to sleep? Or they could have been going to the place they stay during the winter." Hiccup doesn't think that a butterfly could survive Jack's frost. For that matter, there is very little that can.

"If Jack has turned bad does that mean I'm bad too? Or am I just damage control?"

* * *

**I feel a lot better after watching the Croods and eating some popcorn. So I'm not as cranky. And in all honesty, I just don't like being bugged about something I was finished with. But I do have ideas that I was throwing around while writing in Jack's POV that related to a sequel. **

**Hiccup's powers as the Autumn Spirit. First off, just being able to change the leaves on trees is stupid. Jack can do so much more than that. So I gave him some extra powers: the ability to set an entire species into hibernation/migration mode just by touching one or more of them; the ability to speed up the process of decay; the ability to put plants to sleep; the ability to cool the temperature down (but not even close to Jack's ability). He can also heal himself because it would be lame if he couldn't (not his missing foot though). **

**Toothless is Toothless. He has too many awesome powers as a dragon that he really doesn't need any more. He's there to be a steed (since Hiccup can't fly by himself because Jack controls the wind) and moral support. **


	13. Day Four Hundred and Fourteen

Finding Jack was as easy as Hiccup thought it would be. He had to travel to almost the end of the earth. When the glistening palace came into view, Hiccup knew it belonged to Jack. No one else could have made the fortress of ice and...something else. This ice isn't Jack's normal ice.

Where North's workshop was rounded, Jack's palace is sharp and thin. It has many tall twisting towers and sharply slopped roofs. Hiccup counts thirteen of them. A purple glow comes from within making it look especially sinister. As if the strange black ice didn't do that already. They get closer and Hiccup makes out several dozen windows of different shapes circling the tower. They aren't shaped normally, and it takes a minute to realize that they are the phases of the moon. The moon windows are on every tower.

Patrolling in the snow are dark creatures. Their shapes constantly change between unicorns and wolves. Even from up high Hiccup can see the yellow of their glowing eyes.

Toothless circles the palace. The dragon hovers as close to a round window as possible. The spikes make it difficult for him to get near.

"I don't think you'll fit through a window, bud." Hiccup pats Toothless's neck. He unclips himself from the saddle. "And I don't think Jack will be happy if we blow a hole through his wall. Looks like its a solo mission for me."

Toothless growls unhappily.

"I know Toothless. I'd rather you be there too. I'll call you if I need you." Hiccup stands up. He holds his arms out as he inches his way over Toothless's head. The full moon window is big enough for him to fit through – but not for Toothless. Hiccup jumps off Toothless's nose. He soars through the window and rolls on his shoulder to his feet.

The first thing Hiccup notices is that the purple light is coming from something that looks like a candle in a glass bowl mounted to the wall in ice. Out of curiosity, Hiccup touches the bowl. It's freezing cold; not glass but thin clear ice. Green eyes wander from the candle to the arches of the walls. They are ornately decorated with sharp corners near the top, winding down to smooth circle as the leg gets closer to the ground. There is nothing in the room except stairs going up and stairs going down and the floor which could fit a chair or something.

"I'm okay, Toothless. Go hide." Hiccup calls out the window. He feels brief concern for the dragon but decides that Toothless will be fine. Hiccup himself doesn't even feel the cold and he doesn't have fire in his belly.

When Toothless leaves, the Viking boy turns his attention back to the palace. Getting inside was far too easy. He wonders why the four people he met earlier didn't try to break in. Green eyes first peer up then down the winding staircase. Either way seems as likely to contain Jack and now that they are in much closer proximity, its more difficult to track him.

It is far from quiet in the palace. Outside the wind howls; inside the ice creaks and groans. Still, Hiccup doesn't want to make any unnecessary noise. It feels like the walls are listening. _Okay. I'll go up first. _Hiccup puts his foot on the first step. He puts his metal foot on the ice.

Then he is falling backwards. Hiccup cries out in surprise. He hits the back of his head against the ice floor. The pain is sharp and a little mind-numbing. Green eyes blink up at the ceiling. When the pain lessens, Hiccup sits up. His eyes are drawn to the dark spot on the ice. Although the ice is shot through with what looks like... "Black sand. Pitch!" Uneasiness twists around Hiccup's spine.

Shaking his head, Hiccup takes a look at his peg leg. He can't go anywhere without it unless he wants to look ridiculous and take twice as long to get to his destination. The brunette takes out his last dagger and cuts off a square of fur from his vest. He cuts one of the cords around his forearms next to tie the fur onto the bottom of his foot. Carefully Hiccup gets to his feet. He takes a few steps and is pleased to find that with the fur the floor isn't as slippery.

This time Hiccup decides to go down. Twelve stairs later Hiccup has come to the next phase of the moon window. There is a floor here as well but nothing on it but the candle mounted in the wall. It takes two more moon phases before there is an option to go side to side. To the right is a long hallway leading to another room. Hiccup looks down the stairs then decides to take the hallway. As he's walking down the hallway, Hiccup notices that the ceilings are four feet above his head. He's about five feet, six inches tall. To himself he wonders why the ceilings need to be so high.

The brunette comes to a large chamber. The ceilings in this room must be eighteen feet high. Hiccup's head tilts back looking all the way up. There are ice carvings of dragons hanging from the ceiling. Their fang-filled mouths are open in silent fury. They are all types of dragons: Monstrous Nightmares, Eight-Legged Nadders, Saber-Tooth Drivers, Fireworms, Whispering Deaths, Screaming Deaths.

"Do you like them?" The voice echos around the room.

Hiccup can't pinpoint where it came from. "Jack?" He spins around, searching but seeing nothing.

The echoing voice comes again, "You know my name but I don't know who you are, little dragon."

Hiccup's heart aches. Green eyes take the room more slowly. On the far side of the room is what looks like a throne of spikes. There isn't a smooth part of it. Then some smaller spikes move.

Jack sits up. The first thing Hiccup notices is that there are dark circles around his brilliant blue eyes. Then he notices that the winter spirit's skin is a light gray color. Icicles hang from his white hair; its impossible to tell where one starts and the other stops. Jack wears a cloak of icicles around his shoulders, leaving his ashen chest bare. His pants have been exchanged for a black pair of the same style.

Jack moves to pick something up. The staff has changed as well; its spiral is gone and its slick with ice. At both ends are daggers made of ice. He stands and Hiccup blushes at how low Jack's pants are hung on his hips.

"You don't remember me?" Hiccup feels his heart shattering. Though the cold is only making him a little uncomfortable, Hiccup finds himself trembling. _Stop it, Hiccup! _"After all we've been through you just get to forget?"

Jack tilts his head. The icicles on his hair clink together. "You must be confusing me with someone else." Jack's voice is suddenly behind him.

Hiccup jumps two feet away. His green eyes are wide with fear. Its been a long time since Hiccup actually felt fear when looking at Jack and even then it was a brief fear. "You're Jack Frost, winter spirit." Somehow he makes it not sound like a question.

Jack smiles. Its an unfriendly smile. He spins his staff then buries one end of it in the icy floor. Up close, Hiccup can see that Jack's blue eyes have shadows living inside them. "Well I'm certainly not Pitch." The temperature drops twenty degrees.

The cold is more than a little uncomfortable now. Now Hiccup can really feel it. The brunette shivers. "Am I supposed to be grateful I ran into you instead of him?" The brunette rolls his eyes up towards the dragons. He wonders how quickly Jack can bring them to life.

"You might say that." Jack watches him with an uninterested expression.

"I know what you've done." In truth Hiccup doesn't think he's even scratched the surface of what Jack has done in the past ten years, let alone the last several hundred they've been separated.

"Who doesn't?" The snowette laughs. It doesn't sound like his old laughter. "Would you like to tell me your name before you die?"

Hiccup swallows. "You know my name. Besides we've already done the whole 'killing me' thing so I think we can skip it this time." He waves his hands around a little nervously. The autumn spirit is fairly certain he can't die so whatever Jack does it him is bound to be worse than actually dying.

Jack's ashy face is completely blank. He lowers his head so that the icicles completely cover his eyes. All of a sudden a Terrible Terror lands on Jack's shoulder. Its eyes flash blue. From beneath the curtain of ice, Jack's do as well. "It seems you left a mess on my floor."

Hiccup touches the back of his head. His fingertips come away with dried blood on them. The brunette wipes it off on his shirt. "What happened to you?"

"I don't know why you are insisting you know me...but its starting to annoy me." Jack's eyes are as cold as the ice he creates. Without warning the Terrible Terror explodes. Ice shards fly everywhere.

Without a doubt Jack is the one who killed the ice Terror. A sliver of ice scratches Hiccup's cheek. Patiently he waits for it to heal.

Blue eyes watch curiously. "I suppose you're right about skipping the killing, little dragon."

The brunette crosses his hands across his chest. "Why do you keep calling me that?"

When Jack shrugs the entire icicle cloak ripples and clinks. It reminds Hiccup of dragon scales. "So what powers do you have?" Blue eyes stare into green. Shadows dance around in their blue depths.

Hiccup doesn't answer.

"You won't tell me your name either." Jack muses more to himself than to the brunette. He shrugs again. "I suppose there's nothing else to do but..."

Ice shoots up out of the floor around Hiccup. It forms a cage around the Viking boy. A tan hand reaches out to touch the bars. Small spikes form where he is about to touch. Hiccup drops his hand to his side. "How long are you planning on keeping me here, exactly? I have a date later and I'd hate to keep him waiting."

Jack tilts his head to the side. "Here in this cage? As long as I want. Here in this room? Well its my throne room so I'll probably move you somewhere else out of the way." The snowette walks back to his throne. When he sits down he turns all but invisible.

Hiccup sits down too. _This isn't going how I planned it. _"I didn't know the world is so big." He pulls his knees to his chest and wraps his arms around them. "When we met I was barely starting to explore it. Then you came and I got sidetracked."

"I still don't know you." Jack's voice is echoing again.

Hiccup decides that its just that area that causes the entire room to echo with his voice. The brunette picks at some fuzz on his boot. Getting an idea, the Viking boy stands. "Then how did I get this?" He lifts up his shirt to expose the snowflake.

The winter spirit doesn't move. "What is it?"

Hiccup can't even tell if the snowette is looking in his direction. He rolls his eyes. "Come and see."

Jack's sigh is loud and dramatic, like its a real pain in his butt to move. Move he does.

"Someone's gotten lazy." Hiccup doesn't bother to lower his voice. He crosses his arms, keeping the corner of shirt in his hand so it doesn't cover up the snowflake. Green eyes watch Jack approach. In his chest, Hiccup's heart beats wildly with nervousness but he puts a smile on his face.

"I'm not lazy." The snowette stops outside of the cage. He is well within reach if the autumn spirit decided to reach through and strangle him. Blue eyes examine the snowflake on Hiccup's hip and for the first time since he arrived, Hiccup sees emotion flit across Jack's face. Its surprise. "Where did you get that?" Jack presses a finger against the iridescent snowflake. It flashes blue for a second then returns to its normal shifting shades. The snowette shifts aside his icicle cloak to show off his right hip.

Green eyes widen at the sight of a matching iridescent snowflake on Jack's right hip. Hiccup touches his own. "Why would you do that to yourself?" He feels a little nauseous thinking about Jack cutting open his flesh. _How many times did he have to do it before he got it right and before the pale skin healed? _

Jack kneels and reaches through the bars again. "I was born with it." The winter spirit touches Hiccup's hip. Once again the snowflake flashes blue. His pale finger drags down lower than the brunette is currently comfortable with.

"It wasn't there last time I saw you." Goosebumps raise on his flesh. They aren't entirely from the cold.

Blue eyes look up at him. "When is this supposed to be?"

Hiccup looks away from the snowette kneeling in front of him. His eyes find the ice dragons. "Four hundred years ago."

"Impossible. I'm only three hundred and fifty."

"Only?" Hiccup rolls his eyes. Then he realizes that he is technically four hundred years old himself. "You were one hundred when I met you. We weren't even together for a year before you killed me. Though I asked you to, so its okay. No hard feelings."

"Is that so?" Jack doesn't wait for an answer. He turns heel and walks away. This time he exits the room through an entrance Hiccup didn't notice.

Alone, the brunette lets out a sigh of relief. At least that went by without too much pain. _There wasn't even a hint of recognition in Jack's eyes. _Hiccup lays down and curls up in a ball. He wonders what Toothless is doing and what he himself is going to do. _There has to be a way to make him remember._

* * *

**-Jack is 100 when he meets Hiccup.**

**-Jack sleeps beneath the ice for 50 years.**

**-Jack is alone for 300 years.**

**-Jack then defeats Pitch and joins the guardians.**

**-Jack switches sides 40 years later.**

**-Hiccup wakes up 10 years after Jack's switch (making it 50 years since defeating Pitch). **

**-Jack is 500 years old.**

**-Hiccup has "known" him for 400 years (and has been more or less alive that long)**


	14. Day Four Hundred and Fifteen

Hiccup lets out a scream when he wakes up. He sits up, covered in a cold sweat that is dangerously lowering his body temperature. The brunette runs a hand through his damp hair. His chest heaves as he gasps for air. A shiver wracks his body. It feels like his spine is going to break. As he becomes more aware of his surroundings, Hiccup notices the red stains surrounding him.

"Its been a long time since I've seen someone have nightmares as bad as yours." Jack stands over him. There is no more cage.

Hiccup looks at the blood. "W-what?" He doesn't remember his nightmares but he knows they were the worst he's ever had. The autumn spirit shivers again.

"You kept thrashing." The snowette leans on his staff.

Lifting an arm, the brunette notices that his clothes have been ripped to shreds. He doesn't remember moving in his sleep but Hiccup doesn't remember falling asleep either. "I've never had nightmares like that." Hiccup stands up to view the damage. That has to be all of the blood in his body. Green eyes look away.

Blue eyes watch him. "You should be more careful not to fall asleep."

Hiccup takes in the circles around Jack's eyes with a new understanding. _He has nightmares too. _Without warning – or much though – Hiccup throws his arms around the snowette. He's immensely grateful that the inside of Jack's icicle cloak doesn't have the sharp spikes on it.

Jack doesn't move an inch. His chest doesn't even rise and fall. "Are you always this stupid?"

"I got involved with you, didn't I?" Hugging the snowette is something like hugging a snowman, except flesh and bone. Hiccup breathes in the scent of Jack and cold. It reminds him of their last night together.

"It would appear so." The winter spirit shifts his weight. "Is this going to end soon?"

The autumn spirit feels a little disappointed. "No." He squeezes Jack tighter, suddenly afraid that he's going to lose his friend forever. "My name is Hiccup."

Jack doesn't pull Hiccup closer but he doesn't push him away either. "That's horrendous."

Hiccup grins against the cold light gray chest. "And that's my middle name."

"You aren't joking, are you?" Jack shakes his head. "Why did the moon give you such a strange name?"

The brunette almost forgot that The Man In The Moon named Jack. "My parents named me." When this doesn't prompt a response, Hiccup elaborates, "We're Vikings."

"I always hated Vikings." A new voice echos around the room. "Have you found a toy Jack? That isn't like you."

Hiccup turns his head. He spots a very tall, thin man with short black hair that looks like slick spikes. The man is dressed all in black with skin a darker shade of gray than the snowette's. On either side of him stands a wolf and a unicorn. The unicorn looks like its wearing armor. The wolf is three times the size of a regular one. It bares its fangs at Hiccup.

For the first time Jack puts his arm around Hiccup. His hand rests on the autumn spirit's hip. "It looks so much fun when you do it, I thought I would try it."

Green eyes look between Jack and the shadow man. The snowette is oozing tension but the tall man doesn't seem to notice. _This must be Pitch. _Hiccup doesn't like him. There is something predatory about the man but being the bringer of nightmares, the Viking boy isn't surprised. "I'm guessing you're Pitch?"

The man gets closer, invading the boys personal space. "Indeed. But as I said, I don't like Vikings."

"Can't you let me play with my toys in peace?" Jack's grip on Hiccup gets tighter.

An icicle from the cloak cuts Hiccup's cheek.

"Oh, is there more than one?" Gleaming yellow eyes watch Hiccup's flesh heal itself. "Another spirit. Very interesting. What is it you do?"

"You really don't want to know." Hiccup slides an arm around Jack's waist. He refuses to let himself be intimidated by this string-bean.

"He isn't afraid of you." It sounds like Jack could be smiling but a peek at his face tells Hiccup he isn't. "Don't mess with him, Pitch."

Pitch smiles. His teeth are pointed. A gray hand touches Jack's cheek. "There's no need. Hiccup here is already living his greatest fears, aren't you?" Those yellow eyes gaze into Hiccup's bright green ones. Shadows dance inside Pitch's eyes.

"We're going to my room." Jack pulls Hiccup with him towards the throne of spikes. "Don't disturb us." Behind the magnificent throne – which is completely lacking black sand in the ice – is a large ice doorway. It takes both hands to push open the huge doors. They are silent on their hinges.

Green eyes take in the large room. It has the same high ceilings and three magnificent dragons hanging from the ceiling as the rest of the palace. The only difference is a large bed in the middle of the room. On the bed is a pile of furs. Most are thick and white but there is one that is gray and spotted. Hiccup wonders what kind of animals they came from. "So were you guys talking about me?"

Jack closes the doors behind them. "No." The icicle cloak is shrugged off, left in a heap on the floor. He leaps into the air and onto his bed.

The brunette – who is fairly certain that part of the reason Toothless was brought back is because the Viking can't fly – walks over and sits down on the edge. "Then how did he know my name?" He runs his hands over the furs, admiring how soft they are. The spotted one is especially soft.

When the winter spirit doesn't answer, Hiccup feels uneasiness. He's well aware Jack could be lying, but he doesn't get the feeling the snowette is. Jack's cold hand grips the dragon-rider's bicep and pulls him back. "Do you miss the dragons?"

Hiccup's heart races in his chest. For a few seconds he lays stiff on his back but when nothing happens, the autumn spirit relaxes. "You did a good job with them." The autumn spirit watches the dragons as they flash blue and wake from their slumber. They soar around the room, chasing and nipping at each other. "You used to have to be up close to do that."

Jack waves his staff to make snowflakes appear. "I'm talented in many areas."

Hiccup resists rolling his eyes. He turns his face to hide a smile. _He's cheesy and he doesn't even know it anymore. _His gaze doesn't stay off Jack and the dragons for long. Its too tempting to watch them.

Face expressionless, Jack continues, "Thanks to Pitch, my skills have improved these past fifty years."

Hiccup's smile vanishes. He sits up, crossing his legs. "So I guess you two are...together?"

"Yes." The honest answer crushes the brunette. He blinks rapidly. "Is that what Pitch meant by you are living your biggest fears?" Brilliant blue eyes look into green ones.

"That's part of it." Hiccup admits. He longs to feel those arms around him, for this room to be his warm one with its brown furs on the much smaller bed. Mostly he wants the thrill of his father catching him in a very compromising position and the snowette to be his Jack again. "I woke up and find out everyone I've ever known but you is dead. Then I find out that you don't remember me and you've turned evil." Tan arms wave in the air. It reminds him that his clothes are in need of replacement.

Green eyes study Jack's face. The icicles and lack of emotion makes it difficult to read. Hiccup's gaze drops to Jack's chest. A swirling pattern of black disease spreads from where Jack's heart is to his neck and just above his nipple. "Is that where it happened?" He reaches out to touch it.

"Don't." Jack's perfect gray hand is around Hiccup's scarred tan one. Hiccup didn't think he would keep his scars but they haven't gone away. "Its...sensitive. And who would want to touch something so ugly anyway?" He doesn't let go of the brunette's hand.

"I made a fish carcass decompose to bare bone and fungus. This black vein thing, isn't a big deal." A freckled face gets closer to Jack's chest. He sniffs dramatically. "And you smell so much nicer than a dead fish." Its true, the snowette smells as nice as he used to; a combination of Jack's personal male scent and cold.

The snowette moves icicles from his eyes with his free hand. They clink to one side of his face, looking strange all bunched together. "Are you a death spirit?"

Hiccup shakes his head. A smirk turns the corners of his mouth up. "I prepare things for winter." When Jack remains silent, Hiccup elaborates. "I'm the spirit of autumn. Which is like being the spirit of change except I don't bring new life like spring."

"I believe you are the spirit of autumn." The snowette sits up. He lets go of Hiccup's hand. "You need to convince me that you are important to me."

"I don't know how." Hiccup watches the dragons for a few minutes. "What would it take to convince you?"

The winter spirit leans in close. "Tooth kept one of my baby teeth. I knew she was lying when she told me that was all of them. You have to get it back to me." He keeps advancing, "If I really know you, Hiccup, you'll be in the memories stored in that tooth." Jack's face is only inches from Hiccup's.

Hiccup's brow furrows. He wants to kiss Jack but isn't sure if that's a good idea. "Why would memories be in your teeth?"

"Everyone's memories are in their teeth. Only the baby teeth are kept, though, because sometimes when people grow up they need to remember things from their childhood." The snowette tilts his head to the side. His voice drops to a whisper. "You feel familiar and not knowing why is really annoying."

Hiccup sighs. _Make it a joke so it doesn't matter. _He whispers back, "I kind of thought you were going to say something romantic."

"Have I ever said anything romantic?" Its strange to not see Jack's trademark grin.

Hiccup thinks back on it. There was a lot of Jack saying he didn't want to hurt the Viking boy. I'm sorry was said quite a bit. "Once you told me my freckles are cute. And that I'm incredible and amazing."

Blue eyes roll up towards the ceiling. "I sound terribly romantic."

"You were more romantic then than you are now." Hiccup watches a Fireworm get in a squabble with a Monstrous Nightmare. "Where do you think your tooth is?"

Jack sighs. He stands up and twirls his staff. "If Toothiana doesn't have it then Mim does."

Going after the person who brought Jack back to life should be a scary idea but when you've faced the Red Death not much is frightening. Being immortal helps with the confidence too. "Well where does Mim live?" Green eyes watch the snowette's movements.

Jack carves a crescent moon into the floor with one end of his staff. "He's The Man In The Moon. Take a wild guess."

"How am I supposed to get to the moon?" Hiccup throws his arms up. It reminds him – again – that he needs new clothes. "Do you have anything for me to wear?"

The winter spirit looks away for a moment. "I have something in mind. It will suit you, little dragon." He walks to a wall and slides back a panel of ice. Behind it is a hollow space filled with clothes and weapons. Jack disappears into it for a few seconds then comes back out holding something made of black and brown leather.

Hiccup accepts the garment and looks it over. It looks like it might be a tiny bit too big but not so much that it will be noticeable. "That's a lot of buckles."

"It will look good on you and keep you warm." The snowette hands him a single boot. "Get changed and I'll take you to the moon tower." Jack sits down on the bed and watches Hiccup.

Having already been naked in front of Jack, Hiccup feels like he shouldn't be feeling so embarrassed. He removes his clothing and leaves it in a pathetic pile. Then he starts pulling on the leather. "I can't leave without Toothless."

"You have teeth." Jack flashes his own pearly white ones in Hiccup's direction. Its not a smile though.

Hiccup smiles. "Toothless is my dragon." He starts buckling the many buckles on the outfit. For whatever reason they are all undone.

Jack leaps to his feet. "There's a dragon on earth?" When the Skrill comes by the winter spirit leaps onto its back. "I thought I'd never see another one after that last group left."

"Where did they go?" Hiccup sits down to take off his old boot and put the new one on. While he is sitting, the brunette checks his peg leg. It seems to be withstanding the cold very well.

"To another planet." Jack jumps off the back of the dragon and onto the headboard. "I only saw the last group leaving. It was the night after I woke up."

Hiccup frowns as he twists are to watch the boy with blue eyes. "Why did they leave?"

Jack merely shrugs. "What kind of dragon do you have?" He opens the door to the throne room and peeks his head outside.

Hiccup follows him into the room. "A Night Fury."

Jack leads the way into the tower the brunette came from. They climb the stairs. "Interesting."

The autumn spirit glances out the window as they pass by the first one. Outside the snow stretches as far as the eye can see. "I noticed you don't have any Night Furies made of ice around here..."

"That's because I've never seen one." Jack stops all of a sudden. He tilts his head to the side. "I can hear your paws on the ice. Get out of here, mangy mutt, before I end you." The winter spirit's voice lowers to a growl as he speaks.

Hiccup nearly ran into the snowette when he unexpectedly stopped. He's grateful that Jack doesn't have on his icicle cloak. "What is it?"

His question is answered a moment later when one of the black sand wolves trots down the stairs. It snarls at them as it edges towards the window. All of a sudden the wolf throws itself at the window. Before it collides with a window too small for it to pass, the wolf's shape dissolves.

Hiccup rushes to the window to watch it fall and reassemble itself into its former shape. These are the creatures that legend has told of, except in real life they are much scarier. He feels a hand on his shoulder. "I have to call Toothless." The brunette opens his mouth wide and lets out a roar. The wind carries the sound away but Hiccup is sure his friend will hear it.

"Its a fearling. Pitch's creation. Meant to spy on me, no doubt." The boy with white hair pulls Hiccup away from the window. They climb in an endless circle to the top of the tower. When they finally reach it, there is no way out except for the stairs leading back down. Jack turns his back on Hiccup and traces an invisible pattern with the ice of his staff.

A cracking, crumbling sound like a rock-slide comes from beneath them. The floor lurches to one side. "You can fix that right?" Hiccup hears the familiar sound of Toothless's claws clicking against a hard surface.

Jack gives him a look but doesn't reply. He continues moving his staff randomly.

Then the Night Fury is among them. The room is quite a bit more crowded with the black dragon in it. Toothless sniffs at Hiccup then licks his face.

"Ew." Hiccup shakes off the dragon spit as best he can. "Its good to see you too, buddy." He turns his attention back to Jack.

Blue eyes are observing Toothless. Jack presses his palm against the wall and a spiderweb of lines suddenly glows white. The center opens up to an image of a palace even grander than the ice palace. "This will take you to Mim." With the tip of his ice dagger, Jack touches the spot Hiccup's snowflake is. "Call me and I'll open the portal for you to return."

Hiccup rubs Toothless's head. "Do you have any advice?"

Jack nods. His icicle hair clinks together. His blue eyes are serious. "Don't get caught."

* * *

**Its been a while between chapters. More than I intended. That's okay; at least I got it done this year. There are going to be 20 chapters total. So 6 more left. Its really hard not making Jack and Hiccup fall into their old relationship. **


	15. Day Four Hundred and Thirty

"That good for nothing Jack Frost, if I ever see him again I'm going to punch his stupid pretty face in! I'll unleash all of my Viking fury on him!" Roughly two weeks of flying through a weird yellow and purple vortex with nothing to show for it. Hiccup and Toothless didn't need to eat, drink, or sleep but not doing anything but flying was beyond frustrating. Hiccup never thought he would ever be feeling this way. "Go into the magic portal to find my baby tooth, Hiccup. It'll be fun, Hiccup. We'll have sex when you get back, Hiccup!"

Not that Jack said those last two. All the advice the snowette had given was to not get caught. "It's a little hard to get caught when I'm the only one here!" Ever since stepping into the portal there has been nothing but the stars and the strange yellow and purple sky. Hiccup sighs and lays back on Toothless.

Green eyes look up at the same constellations he's been looking at for two weeks. Well, its probably been two weeks. Since there is no sun or moon its difficult to tell how much time has gone by. Restlessly he sits up, unhooks his foot from the stirrup, and stands on the Night Fury. Something ahead of them catches Hiccup's eye. He squints at it, cocking his head to the side. "Am I starting to see things or is that really there?"

A ripple goes through Toothless's body. The dragon bobs his head up and down. He shoots a purple fireball that explodes as they soar through it.

The palace in the distance gets closer. Its a golden palace with light blue and purple accents. Hiccup has had enough of yellow and purple for the moment. He guesses that the palace is three times as big as the icy one he just left. Unlike at the palace Jack and Pitch share, there are no guards here. Cheerful yet calming music plays all around.

"A giant could live here, Toothless." Hiccup whispers. "He might as well be if he's bringing people back from the dead and giving them magical powers." The brunette rubs his hands together and adjusts his leather outfit. He wishes he had his sword instead of the dinky little dagger hidden in his boot. "What kind of Viking doesn't have an amazing sword? Can't be a Viking without a sword."

They circle the palace twice before landing on a window sill. Toothless slinks to the floor with grace and stealth. His saddle creaks and clinks.

Hiccup stays in the saddle to avoid making more noise with his peg leg. It was one thing to have the metal foot and walk on the soft forest floor. It's quite another to have a metal foot and walk on a hard, slick surface. Even with the scrap of fur, Hiccup doesn't trust it to be quiet enough. _I'll have to work on that. _

Inside the palace are floor to ceiling bookshelves. The shelves have both books and toys. Beady black toy eyes stare at the intruders. A limp doll with blue hair and black button eyes seems to be staring especially hard at the brunette. Hiccup examines the shelves closer, wondering if this is the type of place The Man In The Moon would keep a baby tooth.

A tuft of pink is in a jar of clear fluid. On the jar is a label that reads Truffula. Beside the Truffula is a golden hammer laying flat on its side. Something that looks like a well-worn hat with an MU rests beside the hammer. A necklace with crystals that glow green is on display next. Beside that is a wood carving of a bear. A scrap of purple fabric with a yellow sun on it is spread out beside the bear.

There are no teeth.

Hiccup finds a box with a female figure on top. He opens it and music starts to play. Quickly he closes it. He runs a hand through his light brown hair. A tiny little seed pod is on the shelf next to the box that plays music. The brunette urges Toothless forward.

They search the rest of the room and find many more strange objects and even more books. But no teeth. In the next room they find even more items. The one after that is smaller but even fuller than the first two. Hiccup leaves Toothless in the hallway while he searches the room. He comes up empty handed.

"Its going to take forever to search all of these rooms." Hiccup scratches Toothless's favorite spots. He leans against the Night Fury's neck.

Toothless makes a purring sound. His yellow-green eyes are half-closed and he leans into the Viking's touch.

"Some ferocious dragon you are." Hiccup smiles as he goes to the next room. The door is locked. He jiggles the knob and tries again to turn it. Slipping his dagger from his boot, Hiccup slips the tip into the spot between the door and the frame. "I'd have you melt it but I think he would be pissed off if we ruined his palace."

He shakes his head then brushes his hair out of his green eyes. "You know I've been in two palaces that would house ten of my villages easily. I've been in a workshop where all they make is toys and the workers aren't even human. I met a giant talking rabbit. And a woman who is covered in feathers like a bird and flies. The person I love has turned insane and sent me on a mission to the moon to retrieve a baby tooth."

The door clicks open. Inside the room is dark except for one red candle. Hiccup pushes the door open more and steps inside. All of his instincts tell Hiccup to be quiet. He steps inside, followed by Toothless. In the center of the room is a glass box. It doesn't appear to have a door or any holes.

In the box is a small pile of black sand. As the autumn spirit draws closer the pile of black sand shifts. It turns into a rat with golden eyes and long teeth. The rat hisses at him.

Green eyes widen with surprise.

Suddenly the sand rat begins to scratch at the glass. Its nails don't leave a mark. The black rat stretches up to sniff at the ceiling. It races in tight circles around the box.

"Don't mind the rat. Its been looking for a way out of there for quite a long time." The voice is as cheery as the music that plays.

Hiccup looks at the reflection of the speaker in the glass box. The man is as tall as Pitch with spiked white hair and pale skin. It reminds him of Jack except for the voice. "Why do you have a fearling?" He turns around.

The Man In The Moon has a round face. His eyes are completely white. Unlike Jack's skin – which resembles freshly fallen snow – Mim's skin is a bit creamy colored like milk. "I thought if I could capture Pitch's experiment I could stop him from corrupting The Sandman's sand at all. Unfortunately, that didn't work. I would kill it, but you can't kill fear."

Toothless growls deep in his throat.

Hiccup puts a hand on the scaly flank. He doesn't know if they can do damage to this...thing. "I came for Jack's baby tooth."

Without missing a beat he replies, "Jack has all of his baby teeth."

It bothers Hiccup that Mim hasn't blinked. The brunette crosses his arms over his chest. Green eyes steadily gaze at The Man In The Moon. "Then you won't mind if I look around for it."

Mim tilts his head to one side. He smiles. "Hiccup, you really don't want to get caught in the middle of this."

_Find it, Hiccup. This room was locked for a reason. He showed up when he did for a reason. It must be here. _In an unconscious gesture, Hiccup touches the place where the snowflake would be. Green eyes scan the room. "Then maybe you shouldn't have brought me back to life."

Mim's smile widens. It makes his face look strange. "I am not the one who brought you back from the dead."

Hiccup forgets about the tooth for a minute. "What you do mean? Aren't you the one who makes spirits?"

Mim shakes his head. "I can only bring the dead back once in a very long while. Jackson was special, I saw a lot of potential in him. That's not to say you don't have potential, but I couldn't have brought you back." He leans closer, placing a hand on his chest. "To be honest, I wasn't even sure I could bring Jackson back. You see, he's the first one I tried it on and I haven't been able to repeat what happened."

Hiccup leans back. _Pay attention, Hiccup. _"Then who brought me back?" The autumn spirit has always been perceptive and now is no exception. He leans forward and feels his hair falling into his face. As he's pushing it back, realization dawns on him. _The tooth is in his chest pocket. _

Mim's head tilts the other way. He still hasn't blinked. "An old friend of mine."

With his limited knowledge, Hiccup makes a guess. "Was it Pitch?"

A smile spreads across the milky white face. Mim and Pitch have very similar features. "Clever boy. I have more than one old friend. The person who brought you back to life is Jack's father."

Hiccup rolls his eyes. He throws his arms up. "I don't know who that is."

"His name is Nightlight." The Man In The Moon says it like its a big revelation.

The name isn't even a little familiar. "Why would he do that?"

"I don't know." Mim pouts. "We haven't spoken since I made Jackson into Jack Frost." He makes a sweeping gesture with his arm. "Why don't we go somewhere more comfortable? I do own furniture."

Hiccup follows the whitette out into the hallway. He keeps a hand on Toothless, calming the dragon. Just the fact that Toothless doesn't like this person is enough reason for the brunette to discredit most of what is said. Sort of.

The Man In The Moon leads the autumn spirit and his Night Fury down several long hallways before coming to double doors. It is pale wood and carved with images of felines. Without being touched, the doors open. Beyond is a light room with pale blue furniture that looks so nice and delicate Hiccup doesn't want to touch it. With a smile Mim waits beside the door, arm extended in invitation.

Feeling uncharacteristically dirty, Hiccup takes a step towards the room. Then he stumbles. His face collides with Mim's white suit chest.

The man's arms are around him in a moment, steadying the autumn spirit. "I see you still haven't become accustomed to that new foot of yours."

Hiccup picks himself up. He thinks of what his Jack would be whispering in his ear and his face turns the proper shade of red. "I-I...I guess not." Hiccup stands on tiptoe to be closer to Mim's face. His fingers curl into the breast pocket of the suit. He presses his body against the whitette. "Do you think you could give me my foot back?"

The Man In The Moon looks silly with a blush spread across his cheeks. Its so unflattering to his complexion. "I would love to,"

Hiccup dons a hopeful expression.

"But I'm afraid its beyond my skill set." Mim takes Hiccup's hands in his and removes them from his person. "Please, sit down and we will talk." Once again he makes a gesture inviting them into the room.

Hiccup leads Toothless into the room with its delicate pale blue furniture. As soon as he's past Mim, a smile spreads. At first he doesn't notice the yellow gas above his head; he is only aware of a vague sweet scent. Then the doors behind him close. Spinning around, the brunette shares one panicked look with Toothless before the floor rushes up to meet him and everything goes black.

* * *

**I honestly don't know why it took so long to get to Mim's palace. It just did. Another chapter without Jack in it. I'm not sure how I really feel about this since its supposed to be a HiJack story. **

**I included some elements from other movies. I already mentioned Jack seeing Merida once but here's another Brave reference. The reasoning behind adding things that take place in other worlds is because Mim, Pitch, and Bunny aren't even from Earth. They come from different worlds. I'm pretty sure Nightlight does as well. So why not make it possible to have a place like Monster's University a reality or the Otherworld from Coraline? **

**Limp doll with blue hair and black button eyes - Coraline**  
**Truffula tuft - The Lorax**  
**Golden hammer - Wreck-It-Ralph**  
**Worn blue MU hat - Monster's University**  
**Green glowing crystal necklace - Frozen**  
**Wooden bear carving - Brave**  
**Sun fabric scrap - Tangled **  
**Music box - Tinkerbell **  
**Seed pod - Epic **

**Also, in a review someone asked me about who was bothering me about continuing the story. People on Deviantart. I have the story up there as well (same username as here). **


	16. Day Four Hundred and Thirty-One

A purple light suddenly chases the darkness into deep corners. "What happened to not getting caught?" Jack's familiar voice makes Hiccup's heart soar with joy.

The brunette smiles at the sight of the snowette leaning against the wall opposite his cage. "What happened to not having the _your cum will freeze my ass so pull out_ conversation more than once?" Hiccup clamps his hands over his mouth. His face heats up.

Jack stares at Hiccup for a few long seconds. "I don't remember ever having that conversation."

"Then you must not remember what happened after that." The brunette snaps. He turns his face away so he doesn't have to look at the winter spirit. All things considered, Hiccup is taking this being alive again thing really well. He rubs his cheek against Toothless's scaly head and sighs.

"Are you alright?" The snowette is suddenly kneeling just on the other side of the gold bars. His icicle cloak clinks and ripples with the movement. His shadowy blue eyes are barely visible through his icicle hair.

"Oh yeah. I love knowing I'm the only living Viking and my lover is an evil murderer who's having sex with someone else. Lets not forget the part where I'm your errand boy and in this lovely dark cage that I can't seem to get out of. You should come join me. Toothless makes it extra cozy." Hiccup waves his arms around. He hits his wrist against the metal bars. They absorb the impact without making a sound. "By the way, your hair looks ridiculous." He reaches through the bars to poke one of the stupid icicles.

Jack completely ignores the sarcasm and taunt. He pushes the icicles away from his face. It makes him look stupider. "I came to rescue you."

"Great." Green eyes roll up towards the ceiling. "My hero. You know, as a Viking princess I need rescuing quite often."

"I didn't know Vikings had princesses." The snowette tilts his head and the icicles fall back into his face.

Hiccup almost laughs because the idea is funny. Then he realizes that the winter spirit is serious. "We don't. Didn't. I keep forgetting you were woken up after we were all dead and gone."

"Do I often upset you?" His expression hasn't changed, nor his monotone voice. In fact, the only time Hiccup has heard a change in Jack's tone is when the snowette was getting a rise out of him.

"All the time." Hiccup sighs. "If it isn't one thing with you its another." Green eyes search Jack's pale face for some sort of emotion. "Its not that bad and I like some adventure in my life. But I can't wait until you get your memories back."

"Do you think its going to change anything?" Without waiting for an answer, Jack stands up and drags his staff across the bars. Ice crawls up them in fern-like patterns. "That dragon of yours breathes fire, right?"

The brunette ignores the first question; he doesn't want to think about it. He gets to his feet and frowns. "You know we already tried that."

"You didn't freeze the bars first." Jack steps off to the side. "The extreme change of temperature should weaken them. I don't really have time to go looking around for the key."

"Speaking of which, how did you get here?" Hiccup climbs over Toothless to stand in the corner as far away from the blast as possible.

Jack's voice sounds farther away, "After repairing the damage your dragon did to my palace, I followed you."

Toothless shifts, whacking Hiccup in the face with a black leather wing. His typical charging noise fills up the space. A few seconds later there is a heatwave.

Hiccup sees purple through his eyelids. He peeks them open when it dies down. The bars of his cage are a slushy mess on the ground. Treading carefully, Hiccup works his way to where Jack stands.

"Lets get out of here. I have work to do." Jack walks away. His bare feet are silent on the floor but his dragging cloak sounds like the belly of a reptile sliding against the floor.

Hiccup exchanges a long look with Toothless. Then he shrugs and follows the snowette. They don't have much other choice.

To his surprise Jack takes them to a hallway. It is as white as Mim's eyes. There aren't any doors that Hiccup can see and no decoration on the walls. The room seems to be bright but there is no visible source of light. "Where are we going?"

Jack doesn't hesitate to walk into it. "There are many ways into Mim's palace. You just have to know them." They are reaching the end of the hallway. It looks like they are going to walk right into the wall. "Don't stop, little dragon. Being cut in half is very painful." All of a sudden Jack has walked through the wall.

Hiccup stops walking. He looks at the blank white wall without touching it. The snowette just walked through it. It stands to reason that the autumn spirit and his Night Fury can do the same. When they walk through the wall there is no sensation. Its on the other side that the temperature drops and the wind picks up.

Green eyes scan the area. Clouds block out the sky so its impossible to tell if its day or night. They are standing in a dead forest. Towering above the young man and dragon are pine trees stripped of their needles. The wind is blowing so fast that it stings, nearly cutting Hiccup's cheeks; its no wonder the needles couldn't cling to their branches any longer. Hiccup shivers and covers his face with his arms. His light brown hair whips around his freckled face.

Beside him, Toothless tucks his wings tightly against his body. His black head is down, feet over his head to protect his ear-plates. Toothless's green-yellow eyes are closed tightly, his tail curled around his back leg. The prosthetic fin keeps opening and closing in the wind.

Hiccup is worried it will tear. However, that worry is short-lived. A tiny noise reaches his ears over the wind. The autumn spirit lowers his arms to look around again.

There stands Jack, tall and proud, with his cloak rippling behind him. An air of sadness emits from the snowette. His face is lowered, blue gaze focused on something.

Green eyes follow Jack's gaze. There are two little boulders in the snow in front of Jack. Hiccup pushes closer and hears the noise again. His blood seems to freeze in his face. Exactly what is happening dawns on the brunette. "Stop it! Stop! Stop doing this!" He tries to be heard over the howling wind. "You don't need to kill them! This isn't you, Jack!"

Hiccup thrusts himself between Jack and the two children. "They're just babies, Jack! You can't kill them!" Hiccup's heart pounds wildly, fearfully in his chest.

Jack moves so quickly that the pain in his face is the only thing Hiccup recognizes.

He touches his throbbing cheek and blinks at the snowette. Hiccup opens his mouth to say something but no sound comes out.

Jack's ashen face is close to his. Blue eyes blaze with anger. "Don't think for a second I wouldn't hesitate to put you back into the ice." Cold fingers curl around one of the belts across Hiccup's chest. The brunette is lifted a few inches off the ground. "This is my job. Cold is death."

A slow smile spreads across Jack's face. Its a warped smile, full of white teeth and insanity. "They call me the King of Death." The snowette's index finger makes a circle in the air and a crown of ice grows on Jack's head.

Hiccup shakes his head at Toothless. They wouldn't win a fight with Jack. There wouldn't even be a point to fighting since none of them can die. "You're so full of yourself." _Maybe if you distract him enough he'll forget about the children. I have to get him to go somewhere else. _

Jack's skin seems to turn a darker gray. His teeth seem sharper. "Is that what you want?" A wet tongue runs up Hiccup's neck. "To be full of me?"

Behind Hiccup the children are whimpering. They must be freezing in the blizzard. If he could take them home he would, but Hiccup can't even touch them. The only other option is to make Jack leave and pray to the gods the blizzard stops. Green eyes look into Jack's manic blue ones. "Yes."

Jack's smile drops. "Fine. Just remember you asked for it."

They are flying through the air. Its unlike anything Hiccup has ever experienced; Toothless has always been beneath him. Its even different from free falling because they aren't falling; Jack is guiding them. "Wait! What about Toothless!? He can't fly without me!" Hiccup struggles to free himself.

Toothless lets out a scared roar. The Night Fury starts running through the snow after them.

Jack and Hiccup easily outdistance him; Toothless wasn't made for running long distances through snow. "Take me back! Take me back!" Hiccup tries to punch his captor but Jack's icicles are in the way; all he gets are bloody knuckles. Instead he knees the snowette between the legs. "Toothless!"

Jack drops the brunette.

Hiccup goes tumbling down from the sky into the snow. He lands on his back, his fall cushioned by the snow. In an instant he's on his feet, racing as fast as he can in the direction of Toothless and the kids. Sadly to say, the going isn't very fast.

Jack's feet are on his back and the brunette is face planting in the snow. The winter spirit crouches on his prey. "Caught you."

The brunette turns his head to spit out a mouthful of snow. "Unlike you, I can't fly without Toothless." Hiccup struggles to get away. "And he can't fly without me." Finally he succeeds in wiggle out from beneath the snowette. Hiccup crawls a few inches. Then he's eating a mouthful of snow again and the weight is back.

"Being you must be terrible." Jack shifts his weight so that he's straddling the brunette.

"Not for the most part." Hiccup growls out. He rolls onto his back, getting his leather outfit all twisted up in the process. "Get off of me."

"No." Jack makes an attempt to flip his icicle hair back but it falls into his face again. "You aren't so much of a fish-bone that you can't throw me off you if you wanted."

"Why would you call me a fish-bone? If anyone here is a fish-bone its you." The brunette squirms and pulls himself a few inches out from under the snowette. Jack normally isn't very heavy but his cloak of solid ice weighs a lot.

The winter spirit ignores him. "Maybe I should have called you fish-bone instead of little dragon."

"Oh yeah." Hiccup waves his arms in the air. The back of his hand brushes against Jack's nose. "I would love to be called fish-bone. Who wouldn't like a nickname like that?"

Before their ridiculous conversation can continue, a cat-sized dragon made of ice lands on Jack's shoulder. It moves its muzzle close to Jack's ear, presumably to tell the winter spirit something. something. Pale gray features morph into something miserable. Instead of exploding like the last Terrible Terror, the ice dragon flies off into the blizzard.

For a few seconds the autumn spirit is silent while he waits for Jack to tell him what the dragon said. Then it occurs to him that the snowette won't tell him anything since to Jack they are strangers. "What did it say?" Dread twists around inside the autumn spirit as he awaits an answer.

"The children are dead." The winter spirit says it as he would say the sky is cloudy. The children are dead.

Rage boils up inside Hiccup. He gathers his strength and throws Jack off of him. "What is wrong with you?!" The brunette yells even though he already knows the answer. Every time Jack moves the cloak moves and reveals the evil spot on the snowette's chest. "They're just children. Innocent children who haven't even had the chance to live yet!"

Jack's fingers are like steel bands around Hiccup's biceps. "You remember your nightmare, right? _Everyone everywhere _experiences that when they sleep. Every single time they sleep." Jack swallows. His brilliant blue eyes are wide. "Soon everyone will be trapped in waking nightmares. Pitch is working on it now."

Hiccup just blinks at the snowette. He doesn't remember the exact nature of his nightmare but the thought of it is like being doused in icy fear. "So you kill them?"

"Its the only thing I can think of that will work." Suddenly Jack's face twists into a devious grin. "And of course I like it. Cold is for killing." The insanity fades out of his eyes with a good shake of the head.

Something sharp pricks Hiccup's arms; Jack has grown ice claws. They are thick and curved like a cat claw. Hiccup removes Jack's hands from his biceps. He takes out a small hammer from one of the loops in his leather outfit and begins to tap away at one of the claws. After a few hard strikes it falls off. "Why don't you kill Pitch?"

"Pitch can't die." The snowette allows Hiccup to break off the claws. He shifts his weight. "He's the Nightmare King. He's fear. As long as there is fear, anywhere, Pitch will exist."

The brunette thinks about what little he knows of spirits and Pitch. Nothing to stop the nightmares really comes to mind. "Can spirits use their powers on each other?" Two more ice claws come off.

"Not usually. Only if we're feeling a really strong emotion and have specific intentions. For instance, I can freeze Pitch's sand. Sandman can put me to sleep and give me good dreams. Pitch can't put me to sleep but he can give me nightmares. He can also..." The winter spirit trails off.

"Turn you evil?" Hiccup guesses. Another ice claw succumbs to the force of the hammer. "Can't Sandman reverse it?"

"I never thought of it."Jack shifts his weight again. He looks over Hiccup's head then reaches up with a clawed hand to brush light brown hair out of the freckled face. "Did you -"

"Tell me about Pitch." Hiccup says at the same time, partially to distract himself from Jack's presence. He's about to ask what Jack was going to say but the snowette seems to change his mind about it.

"Pitch was born before the Golden Time. It was a creative paradise; the best time to ever have been. Before the Golden Time there was a great war. Fearlings, Dream Pirates, and Nightmare Men ran rampant. Eventually they were all defeated and locked away in a prison in a far corner of the universe. Pitch was a war hero and volunteered to be the sole guard of the prison. The work was difficult and it was wearing him down mentally. Hundreds of years passed."

"One day being a guard was bearing on Pitch more heavily than usual. He opened the locket around his neck to look at the photo of his daughter. The evil spirits took on the voice of his daughter, tricking Pitch into thinking she was trapped with them in the prison. When Pitch unlocked the prison and opened the door, they possessed him. Thousands of evil beings with evil intentions and a thirst for revenge. Pitch didn't stand a chance against them."

"Pitch started to carry out the revenge of the Fearlings. He tore world after world apart until they were barren husks. His army of Fearlings grew larger than ever before. Pitch's main target was the Man In The Moon, only a baby at the time. He wanted to make him a Fearling Prince. The battle took place near Earth. After killing Mim's parents, Pitch was defeated by Nightlight. Nightlight lived inside Pitch's heart for centuries until they were accidentally released."

Jack falls silent. He examines his fingers, now free from the ice. "That's all I know."

Hiccup had listened with rapt attention while he broke off ice claws. Now he looks into Jack's brilliant blue eyes. There is a hint of a snowflake on the iris and the shadows flit about. _Fearlings must be inside him. There has to be a way to get them out. Maybe we can do the same with Pitch. _"Lets go find the Sandman. Maybe he can help you."

Icicles clink as Jack shakes his head. "I don't want to be 'helped'."

"Then why send me to Mim's palace to get the tooth?" Hiccup huffs and crosses his arms. He didn't waste two weeks flying with Toothless for nothing.

The winter spirit looks very uncomfortable. "Well you didn't get the tooth anyway so," He scratches the back of his neck.

Hiccup refuses to take the bait. "Why did you send me there?"

"I don't like not remembering things." A pink tongue slides over Jack's lips. "I've had quite a few holes in my memory and just when I think I have them all filled, it turns out there is still a huge gap."

Hiccup stares at the trampled snow at their feet. "I know it sounds really selfish what with everything that is going on, but I want you to love me again." When the boy with blue eyes doesn't respond, Hiccup continues. "Or at least know who I am."

"I," Jack hesitates, "don't dislike you." He grabs Hiccup's hand and examines it before lacing their fingers together. "This feels natural. I'd like to know why."

This time Hiccup shrugs. "Its always been like this." The brunette has a suspicion that Jack is using the physical contact as a distraction. "Lets go talk to the Sandman. Maybe he can help."

"Fine. Lets go get that flying iguana." Jack doesn't let go of Hiccup's hand as he begins walking in the direction they left Toothless and the children.

Hope bubbles up in Hiccup's chest. _Maybe this will work. _"Why did you kill your family?"

"I wanted to give them some peace from the nightmares." Blue eyes glance at him. "I know what the Guardians say about me. They're right, I am evil. But not entirely."

Hiccup lets this sink in. "Hey Jack?"

The snowette makes a questioning noise.

"You said that Pitch can make people into Fearlings." Hiccup swallows, suddenly nervous about the answer. "Does this mean you're a Fearling?"

When Jack looks at the brunette his smile is wide and his eyes seem to have a yellow glint to them. "Yes, Hiccup. I'm a Fearling Prince."4

* * *

**Maybe I spent too much time on dialogue. I'll try to make the next chapter more action-packed. **


	17. Day Four Hundred and Sixty-Two

Hiccup feels himself being shaken awake. He blinks open his bright green eyes. A pale gray face and a golden face look down at him. Hiccup's arms and legs tremble. His back aches from the stress of the nightmares. His head is pounding and sweat is soaked through the leather outfit. Without hesitation, Hiccup throws his arms around Jack's bare neck. He breathes in the icy cold scent and feels himself relaxing.

The snowette offers no soothing words, he just puts his arms around the brunette's waist. Jack rests his chin on the top of Hiccup's sweaty head.

Sandy seems to deflate as he turns away from the youths. He sits on his throne and conjurors up images of puppies chasing each other.

Hiccup isn't fooled, he knows that the Sandman is deep in thought. "I didn't scream did I?" Hiccup asks the boy with white hair.

Jack shakes his head. The snowette's jaw is clenched.

"That's good. That's progress. Maybe it just takes prolonged contact for Sandy's dream sand to start working." Hiccup notices Jack and Sandy exchange looks. "Pitch can't be more powerful than Sandy."

"Sandy is a spirit like us but he's also a Guardian. If the children don't believe in him, he's going to disappear." Jack murmurs against Hiccup's ear. "Can't you tell he's faded around the edges?"

Green orbs examine the golden man. Now that he knows what he's looking for, Hiccup can see that Sandy is in fact faded around his edges. "Pitch isn't a guardian so it won't work on him." The brunette shifts so that he's reclining in Jack's arms.

"Even if we somehow managed to simultaneously stop every living human, plant, and animal from feeling fear it wouldn't stop Pitch for more than a few minutes at most."

"You mean it isn't just human fear that makes him stronger?" Hiccup groans. He frowns at the puppies racing around the room. One tackles the other and they go tumbling into a wall. The glittery yellow sand falls to the floor. The autumn spirit hopes that they don't suffer the same fate. His spirits are lifted when the puppies reform and continue their playing.

Toothless growls as he shifts his weight. His green-yellow eyes are narrowed to slits as he watches Hiccup with Jack. Two weeks later and the Night Fury hasn't forgiven Jack for taking away Hiccup or for killing those two young children.

Hiccup isn't sure what happened while he was gone, but Toothless was frantic when they got back. The immediate area was covered in ice-slicked mud and water – evidence of Toothless's desperate attempt to keep the cold away from the two small bodies. But both children were dead, as Jack had said. They didn't have time to bury the bodies before Jack was riding the wind to the Sandman's home.

What had started out as an attempt to get Jack back on the good side, turned into Hiccup becoming a human guinea pig. Sandy gave Hiccup golden sand in an attempt to see if it could combat Pitch's nightmares. So far Hiccup has had it seeped in tea (which is disgusting); sprinkled on icecream (this is also not very tasty); in a small sack under his pillow; sprinkled on top of him as he sleeps. They tried putting it in different places, having him sleep in different positions, and putting the dust on him while he's awake, sleeping in a cocoon of dream sand. None of it worked.

Hiccup turns around to straddle the snowette. He runs his fingers around the black stain above Jack's heart. The autumn spirit feels like bad things will happen if he touches the mark so he is careful not to.

Blue eyes gaze evenly into green. "What are you thinking about?"

Hiccup turns to the golden man. "Sandy, do you think you could do to me what Pitch did to Jack?" Beneath him, Hiccup feels the winter spirit tense.

Sandy sits up and floats over to the young men. A series of images flashes over his head, ending with a question mark.

"I'm sure. If it worked for Pitch it should work for you too." Hiccup begins to unbuckle and shift around the leather of his outfit. "I believe you're as powerful if not more so than he is." Soon his tan freckled chest is exposed.

Sandy slowly makes a long slender dagger out of his golden dream sand.

Hiccup looks at Jack but the snowette's face is blank. He wants to ask if it will hurt but his pride doesn't allow him to admit his fears.

Sandy hesitates only one more time, giving the autumn spirit a chance to change his mind. When Hiccup nods, the Sandman plunges his blade into Hiccup's chest.

Something clinks against the floor.

Hiccup feels pressure but not the expected pain. He slumps back against Jack as warmth spreads through him all the way to his toes. The brunette takes a deep breath, feeling the sand shift. When he looks down he sees that its cutting into his skin much in the same way that the snowflake on his hip did. Instead of a snowflake, the image the golden sand makes is the symbol for the Strike Class of dragon; a Night Fury. The Night Fury mark glows a brilliant yellow before settling down in shifting shades.

Hiccup touches it; its as smooth as his skin. A steady warmth flows from it; a sharp contrast to the cold on his hip. "Why didn't yours make an image?"

Sandy begins showing images of puppies, dolphins, and unicorns. Then he creates an image of Pitch and hundreds of images flash too fast for Hiccup to understand.

"Its because fear changes so often and dreams rarely change." Jack explains. Pale gray fingers reach to touch the golden mark then he drops his hand.

Hiccup rests his head against Jack's collarbone. "I don't want to go to sleep again." His hand drops from his chest to his hip where he traces the outline of the blue marking.

"I need to go back to the palace." Fingers tap against Hiccup's thigh. "You should stay here so Sandy can keep an eye on you."

Hiccup sits up and frowns at the snowette. He shifts on Jack's lap, absently wondering how he got here. They seem drawn to each other like magnets. "Why can't I go with you?" Not that Hiccup has an overwhelming urge to return to the ice palace, he just doesn't like the pull sensation he gets whenever the snowette is away.

"I'll come back for you." Jack raises his hips a little, silently telling Hiccup to get up.

Reluctantly the brunette stands. He walks over to Toothless and leans against the magnificent beast. Green eyes watch Jack stand and leap into the air. The wind carries away the winter spirit. Hiccup faces Sandy and rubs the back of his neck. "Do you think you could put me to sleep again? Just one more time so I'll know if this worked."

The round golden man smiles and nods. His hands work in a circle, gathering up a ball of shimmering sand. Once its made, he hurls it at both Hiccup and the Night Fury. _"__I will show you want you want to know, dragon-rider. Perhaps it will help you to understand." _

Hiccup is asleep immediately. As soon as the dust hits him and Toothless, they begin to dream. They fly through a sky streaked with the orange and purple of a setting sun. The clouds are bright pink. Below them is the confusing land that Hiccup awoke in. Abruptly it turns into a sliver of forest and a huge reflective lake. Green eyes look down but their reflection isn't visible in the water below. With all his heart, Hiccup hopes that this dream won't turn into a nightmare like the others did.

Below him is a terrible scene.

Egg-shaped warriors fight with spears and swords against black unicorns; Fearlings. The rabbit from before when Hiccup was spying – Bunnymund – has grown three times his normal size and has six arms. Five of his six hands wields swords while the last holds a tall staff with a glowing egg on the top.

Toothiana and her mini fairies swoop through the air and lash out at those Fearlings who have wings. Their swords and feathers glisten in the fading light. Toothiana's normally beautiful face is twisted with rage and her eyes appear haunted.

Beside her, the Sandman is doing his best to turn the Fearlings made of nightmare sand into the same golden creatures of his own design. All around him are fierce golden sand creations battling with their dark counterparts.

On the ground fighting is the massive North with his Yetis at his side. North moves like a much younger man, lashing out with a sword that glows the same as Bunnymund's and one that is plain. His face is alive with the joy of battle.

Hiccup smiles, thinking he would make a good Viking. Then Hiccup spots Jack and the children he's ferociously guarding. Now that he sees the children, Hiccup realizes that all the Guardians have formed a circle around them.

Jack stands at the center, his staff clutched tightly in his hands. As one wolfen Fearling rushes towards him head-on, Jack freezes it mid-stride. Another attacks from behind and he whips around, freezing the creature in mid-air. When it falls, the Fearling shatters. Jack's expression is becoming concerned as more and more Fearlings pour out of the forest surrounding them.

"_Jack is the one who found the children surrounded by Fearlings. He called to the rest of us when they were too much for him. We did all we could." _Hiccup tears his gaze away from the battle at the sound of the voice. Its a lovely voice, very soothing, and it belongs to the Sandman. Another Sandy is floating beside him on a cloud of dream sand.

"I don't see Pitch." Hiccup comments, returning his gaze to the battle field. Sandy doesn't answer so Hiccup watches in silence.

One minute Pitch isn't there and the next he's standing behind Jack. The tall dark man raises his hand, a wicked smile on his gray face. In it is a long, slender dagger made of nightmare sand.

Jack has just turned around when Pitch swiftly brings down his hand. The weapon of nightmare sand pierces Jack's chest and pokes out his back. It drips red with blood. The snowette gasps, blue eyes wide and facial features forming a look of surprise. He puts a hand to his chest where the hilt of the dagger is sticking out. His pale fingers come away red.

The transformation happens instantly. Jack's white hair turns coal black. His skin turns dark gray. Blue eyes shift into yellow with cat-like slits for pupils. The black dagger peels apart into tentacle-like arms that grope the air as though looking for purchase. They find Jack's gray skin and burrow into it.

Frantically Jack tears away at the strange blue garment he wears. He tries to pull away the arms but they have a tight grip. The arms shrink into a rough circular shape that isn't much bigger than a coin. From the shape comes much smaller, thinner arms that look like grass roots. As soon as the black sand stops moving and cutting into Jack's skin an explosion of black – similar to the flash of blue that happened to Hiccup's snowflake – appears and settles.

Just as quickly the process reverses. The black mark is the only thing that remains. Now that Jack's skin is pale white again, the mark stands out even more. Jack throws his head back, face to the sky.

For a second Hiccup thinks that the snowette can see him.

The second passes when Jack starts laughing. Its a strange laughter that sends chills down Hiccup's spine.

Green eyes scan the area; the fighting has stopped and Pitch is smiling. The King of Nightmares waves a hand and his army retreats with him through a small crack in the earth. It must have been the place where he popped out of.

Jack laughs and laughs. Without warning the eerie laughter stops and is followed by a thud. The winter spirit has passed out.

The Guardians seem to be frozen with shock. Judging from their faces, nothing like this has ever happened before. The children they were protecting are mewling in terror.

Suddenly the scene changes. They are standing in the building that looks similar to the one that North lives in, but smaller. The Guardians are clustered around a bed. Jack is laying in the bed, cheeks flushed and eyes closed tight. His expression is pained, his fingers are curled around the comforter. Blue eyes suddenly open. Jack's expression calms somewhat. "Why do we even try? You guys have been around forever and you've never truly defeated Pitch. What's the point?"

"First off, I'm the only one who has been around forever." Bunnymund's ear twitches. "Secondly, the point is the happiness of the children. All of the children, even those who have not yet been born."

North lightly punches the Pooka in the shoulder. "Damn right you're the oldest, Bunny." He says with a grin. His smile doesn't reach his eyes. "We have a duty to the world to stop Pitch. We haven't found a way to do that forever, but we will one day. When that day comes, we will have a new Golden Age."

There is a collective sigh from the group at the mention of a Golden Age.

"_It started like this. Every once in a while Jack would lose sense of his purpose. He kept asking us to remind him about why he was a Guardian and why the children's happiness matters. The next place we are going to is several years in the future." _

The scene changes once more. This time they are in a place that Hiccup can only describe as spring. Eggs are everywhere and bright green plants full of flower. The giant Pooka is carefully mixing exotic together ingredients in a large crystal bowl.

Jack isn't wearing his blue tunic. He sits cross-legged with his chest bare. Without warning the snowette gets to his feet and begins pacing. He keeps touching the dark mark on his chest and wincing. It must still hurt. "Is there nothing in that memory of yours that can help me?" The snowette sounds angry and desperate at the same time.

"I'm sorry mate, but I can't help you. Nothing like this has ever happened. We don't know how to reverse it." Bunnymund pauses in his stirring. He looks over at Jack. "Perhaps this chocolate will help."

Jack sighs. He runs a hand through his hair. It leaves the white locks spiked with frost. "What is chocolate going to do?"

"Never underestimate chocolate." The gray Pooka replies. He picks up some droplets of water, examines them, then puts them into his mixture.

Jack is watching him closely. He has stopped pacing. The snowette wears an expression that Hiccup recognizes because he's worn it before. Using the wind to increase his speed, Jack lunges forward. He plucks a silver knife off the rock beside Bunnymund and brings it to his chest. Tears spring to Jack's eyes immediately as he begins to saw into his flesh.

"Jack! Stop!" Bunnymund leaps over his workspace towards the young Guardian. He stops suddenly when he sees what is happening.

His flesh doesn't stitch itself back together with tiny ice threads like it did the one time Hiccup saw Jack slice open his own wrist. Instead of allowing itself to be cut out, the nightmare sand marking grows. Jack screeches, the knife falling from his hands. His screech turns into a full-fledged scream of terror. Brilliant blue eyes seem to turn darker, as does his skin. When the evil tattoo finally stops growing it is the size of a small watermelon, stretching from one nipple to the other and up to the hollow of Jack's throat.

Like the time Pitch first stabbed Jack's heart, the snowette faints. This time, though, his skin stays a shade darker than normal as though a shadow was cast over snow.

"Cutting it out made it worse." Hiccup notes. He wasn't expecting the sand to come alive like that. It makes the brunette wonder if piercing Jack's heart with the dream sand would do more harm than good.

"_Physically cutting it out isn't something we would have tried to do. It is impervious to magic so we couldn't extract the dagger that way. We thought it respond better to magic but it did not." _The Sandman shakes his head sadly, _"__Now I will take you to the day we lost Jack to Pitch." _

An unfamiliar pond is the focus of the next location. Hiccup has a feeling that it means something significant to the Guardians. He pats Toothless's neck, taking comfort in the scaly dragon. The brunette immediately focuses on two figures out on the middle of the frozen pond.

Its Jack and a young man with brown hair. He has similar features to Jack and they move the same way.

Hiccup looks to the Sandman questioningly.

"_The boy is Jamie. He is a descendant of Jack, through Jack's sister." _He clears up the confusion.

Green eyes turn back to the scene. Dread fills him. He knows what happened to Jack's family. "I don't want to watch this."

Sandy makes no response.

Hiccup dismounts Toothless and walks alone out onto the ice. Now that he's closer, Hiccup can see that both Jack and the boy – Jamie – have dark circles around their eyes. As dark as they are its still lighter than Jack's current sleepless circles. They converse in the voices of the haunted and tired. Jamie's face in particular is looking gaunt.

"What happened Jack?" The boy rubs his arms and shivers. He's only wearing a thin sweater. "I haven't had a good dream in ten years but I see the Sandman every night. Did I do something bad?"

The snowette shakes his head. His hair is now permanently spiked with frost. "It isn't you Jamie. Sandy is trying to get good dreams to you but Pitch keeps stopping him."

Jamie looks like he's going to cry. "I thought we defeated him."

The winter spirit looks physically pained. He wraps his arms around his own torso. His staff is cockeyed between his arms and chest. "Turns out it was only temporary, kiddo." Jack looks away from Jamie as though looking at the boy physically hurts.

"Why is this happening?" Jamie wraps his arms around his own torso. He trembles and lowers his gaze to the dark ice below them. When an owl swoops over them, Jamie lets out a terrified scream. The brunette boy crouches on the ice, hands over his head.

Jack looks startled. He stares at Jamie for a half second before kneeling beside him. The snowette doesn't touch the boy. As the silence drags on it becomes apparent that Jack doesn't know what to say.

"I'm so scared." Jamie confides. "Every single night is one terror after another. I remember all of my nightmares. They're so bad they haunt me during the day too." He laughs as he wipes tears from his eyes. "That was just a normal owl. But I thought it was something evil, something that was going to hurt me." The boy pauses, hesitant, before continuing, "I'm so tired of it Jack."

"You have to be strong, Jamie." Jack's words sound hollow. The snowette won't look the brunette boy in the eye.

Hiccup watches Jamie search Jack's face. Whatever he is expecting to find, he doesn't. "What happened to you?" Jamie whispers.

Jack shakes his head. His expression changes to the same one that he wore before he stabbed himself trying to cut out the mark Pitch left. "Do you want the nightmares to stop?" His voice sounds lighter.

"Yes!" Jamie leans forward, putting most of his weight on his hands. "Yes! Please make them stop." His pale face is hopeful.

"Okay." Jack pauses, "Is your sister having nightmares?"

Jamie nods. "Will you help her too?"

Jack nods. "Okay. Close your eyes and count to...five." The snowette stands up. He looks at his staff and closes his eyes.

Jamie closes his eyes. He has a slight smile on his lips. He trusts Jack completely. "One...two...three...four...fi-"

There is no warning. One minute Jamie is living flesh, the next he's encased in ice. Hiccup knows from experience that it takes only a few short moments for death. Although he was kind of expecting it, Hiccup can't help his eyes from widening or his jaw from dropping.

In a sudden fit of anger, Jack smashes his staff against the trunk of a tree. The curled tip breaks off. Blue eyes stare at the broken staff for a moment. His skin turns a shade darker still. Icicles grow from the tips of his hair and on both ends of his staff, forming the hard ice that Hiccup was unfamiliar with. Jack leaves the pond without giving his dead kin another glance.

"I knew you would see things my way." Pitch's voice rings out throughout the clearing.

Jack's face is twisted with anger. "Shut up."

"_Now that you have seen his change, maybe you could help him." _

Hiccup blinks open his eyes. He stares up at the ceiling of the Sandman's bunk. His heart is heavy. What he saw was only a small preview of the past ten years. The brunette gets to his feet and looks around for Toothless.

The dragon is outside, just waking up from his own slumber. Toothless nudges Hiccup, making a concerned churring noise.

Hiccup nods. "It will be okay buddy. We'll get Jack back. After all we still have his tooth so," the brunette pats his breast pocket, expecting to feel the little lump of Jack's tooth. He doesn't. Hiccup peeks in the pocket and still sees nothing. A quick pat down of his person turns up nothing. The next logical conclusion is to retrace his steps.

He ends up in the library that makes up what Hiccup thinks of as Sandy's throne room. Its where the golden man made his mark on the brunette. Hiccup touches it and feels some peace of mind. The touch reminds the autumn spirit of the recent events. "That clink. It was the tooth falling out of my pocket." Though he searches the entire space, Hiccup finds only the cloth it was once kept in.

Sandy didn't have time to pick it up. So it must have been Jack. "Jack has his tooth." Hiccup exchanges a look with Toothless. "Lets go see if he remembers us." The Viking youth jumps onto Toothless's back and clicks his foot in. They take off into the air, Hiccup directing Toothless towards the place he feels Jack's presence.

Their progress is swift. Since neither tires, they don't have to stop or slow down. Soon the magnificent palace of ice and black sand is in view. Toothless hovers outside of a window and Hiccup jumps into the palace after putting on a sort of autopilot. "I'll call if I need you, Toothless. Stay safe." Hiccup promises. He watches the Night Fury fly off to hide. A twinge of guilt at not being more attentive pierces him, but he pushes it aside. Toothless will be fine.

The spirit of autumn goes directly to Jack's bedroom. He sees no Fearlings and the dragons stay frozen on the ceilings. Outside the door, Hiccup hesitates. The brunette closes his eyes and focuses. Jack isn't behind these doors. Cautiously, Hiccup roams the dark hallways with their odd purple lights. He follows his instincts to a part of the palace he hasn't visited. Trying to be quiet, the brunette descends down a flight of stairs.

Eventually the Viking comes to a door. The door is large and black as night. Fear has his heart aching. Its a strange sensation that he's never experienced before. Hiccup swallows his fear and pushes open the door. And immediately wishes he hadn't.

Jack's hands are bound above his head with black sand to a half ring of ice. A black blindfold covers his eyes. He's naked, his pale long body stretched out on black furs, and clearly aroused. His face is flushed, mouth open in a moan.

Crouched over the winter spirit is Pitch, for once out of his black robes. He runs his tongue down to Jack's belly button before trailing something that looks like a metal hedgehog down the same path. The object digs lightly into Jack's abdomen, drawing specks of bright red.

Despite the bleeding, Jack moans again and rolls his hips against Pitch's body.

Hiccup's body gives a spasm that he's barely aware of. He begins to tremble with rage and betrayal. _Please let this be a nightmare. Please let me be on Sandy's island asleep. _But he knows its reality. Then he turns heel and walks out of the room. Hiccup gets up to the throne room before his legs give out. Without thinking about what he's doing, Hiccup's fingers dig into his outfit and he drags his nails down the snowflake. He wants it _gone. _

Knowing and seeing are two very different things. The fact that the damn icy snowflake won't allow itself to be scratched off. Finally Hiccup gives up. He puts the heels of his hands to his eyes. His pain cuts deep. Anger heats his skin from within.

Far below, something explodes. Curiosity has Hiccup looking towards the stairs. He tries to wipe away the definitely not tears but leather doesn't absorb liquid very well. He ends up using the fabric that Jack's tooth was previously kept in.

Moments later, Jack appears. He's walking tall and an air of anger surrounds him. His pants are hung even lower than before on his hips; they barely cover him.

Green eyes take note that the snowette doesn't seem to be aroused anymore. Then the brunette looks away. He supposes that's a good thing. Hiccup wonders how Jack is going to handle this.

Jack calls out his name. "Hiccup."

"And what exactly does that accomplish?" Hiccup refuses to look at the snowette. He doesn't know which he wants to do more; stab Jack through the heart or burst into tears. The later isn't very Viking-y so Hiccup suspects he would be more likely to do the first one.

Jack drops to his knees beside the brunette. "The nightmares stop when Pitch is asleep. And _that _is the only way he will relax enough to sleep."

From the corner of his eye, Hiccup sees that Jack's wrists are an angry red. He is trying to rationalize what the snowette said, coupling it with the fact that Jack probably doesn't have his memories - "You stole the tooth!" He forgets himself and looks at the winter spirit.

"Shh." Jack covers Hiccup's mouth with his hand. "Firstly, you stole it. Secondly, its my tooth. Why didn't you give it to me?" He removes his hand from Hiccup's face.

Meanwhile, the brunette lets out the breath he was holding. He wipes his nose and mouth on his sleeve the best he can, trying to get rid of the scents. "I'm afraid you won't love me...even after you get your memories back. Or that you would just destroy it before remembering."

"I don't know about love." Jack admits, "but you and I are connected. I could feel you the second you woke up." Those brilliant blue eyes are sincere.

Hiccup throws up his arms in frustration. "Why didn't you come find me?"

"I was tied up at that moment and I didn't know it was you." Jack has the decency to not look pleased about his sexual exploits with Pitch. "But for the record, if I could do it again I would go back and find you."

* * *

**I kind of forgot where I was going with this "part two" of sorts. So if things suddenly stop making any sense...There's a reason for it. Three more chapters until the sequel ending. Afterwards there won't be anymore of this story. At all. I will do other HiJacks though. **


End file.
